The Geothermal Energy Grant Program (GEGP) is authorized by Colorado Energy Office Geothermal Energy Grant Program to create grants that support the use of zero-emission, geothermal energy for electricity generation and space/water heating and cooling in homes, businesses, and communities.
Donor Name: Colorado Energy Office (CEO)
State: Colorado
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/19/2024
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The GEGP program portfolio includes three sub-grant areas: Single-Structure Geothermal, Community District Heating/Thermal Energy Network, and Geothermal Electricity Generation.
Funding Information
The following are allowable grant types and amounts as established by the program.
Single-Structure Geothermal
Grant award amounts dependent on installed tonnage:
- Non-residential buildings (Tonnage limit: 100 tons
- For-profit: Up to $2,000/ton capacity
- Non-profit: Up to $3,000/ton capacity
- Multifamily buildings (Tonnage limit: 100 tons
- For-profit: Up to $2,000/ton capacity
- Non-profit: Up to $3,000/ton capacity
- Single-family (Tonnage limit: 5 tons
- For-profit: Up to $2,000/ton capacity
- Non-profit: Up to $2,000/ton capacity
Community District Heating/Thermal Energy Network
Note: Parties involved with the application may not apply for more than two grants per year
- Scoping Study to determine GHG reduction potential and costs
- Up to $100,000
- Design Study to evaluate issues, legal and financial responsibilities
- Up to $500,000
- Installation of projects serving more than one building
Up to 50% of the first $1 million project cost
Geothermal Electricity Generation
Note: Parties involved with the application may not apply for more than two grants per year
- Study to identify and explore resources that may be suitable for geothermal electricity generation
- Up to 50%, not to exceed $500,000
- Study to identify and explore resources that may be suitable for geothermal electricity generation and include either hydrogen generation or direct air capture technologies
- Up to 60% for projects costing less than $1 million; up to $500,000 for projects costing more than $1 million
- Projects concerning an identified potential geothermal resource but need confirmation through drilling and testing, or are seeking to develop a project generation site
- Up to 50%; +$500,000 additional per project for projects costing more than $1 million
Eligibility Criteria
Single-Structure Geothermal
- Eligible applicants: Building owners, developers, local governments or municipalities (statutory or home rule municipalities, counties, city and counties, or special districts), geothermal installers, contractors, gas or electric service public utilities, college or university campuses, and others approved by CEO.
- Eligible project costs and types: applicants constructing or retrofitting a building with a geothermal system as the primary source of heating and cooling, within groups of non-networked individual single-family residential buildings, individual multifamily residential buildings, or individual nonresidential buildings.
Applicants should coordinate with a geothermal installer, who is limited to 100 residential buildings per contractor. Commercial buildings and state and local government buildings must meet the 2021 IECC or an equivalent or newer code to be eligible. Developers, geothermal installers, or commercial building owners that apply must attest they will use licensed plumbing or mechanical contractors with apprenticeship programs.
Community District Heating/Thermal Energy Network
- Eligible applicants: Building owners or operators, campus owners or operators, geothermal installers, public utilities, political subdivisions/local governments (such as statutory or home rule municipalities, counties, city and counties, or special districts), consultants, developers, and others approved by CEO.
- Eligible project costs and types: applicants constructing ground-source, water-source, or multi-source thermal systems that serve more than one building.
Parties involved with the application may not apply for more than two grants per year. CEO will prioritize projects in low-income, disproportionately impacted, or just transition communities, as well as projects that would not otherwise occur without grant funding.
Geothermal Electricity Generation
- Eligible applicants:
- Local governments: statutory or home rule municipalities, counties, city and counties, or special districts
- Corporations: any corporation that is registered in Colorado and meets all legal requirements established by Colorado Statute (§ 7-90-102, C.R.S.) and the Colorado Secretary of State
- Gas or electric service public utilities: any public utility as defined in § 40-1-103, C.R.S., providing electric, steam, or associated services in the state of Colorado
- Eligible project costs and types: applicants developing geothermal electricity generation technology and/or projects that use geothermal energy with electrolyzers to produce hydrogen or power direct air capture technology.
Eligible for local governments, corporations, and gas or electric service public utilities. An applicant may apply for more than one cost-matching grant in a year for projects less than $1 million. An applicant may only apply for up to two grants per year for projects over $1 million.
For more information , visit CEO.
