The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) request Rhode Island Agricultural Operations to submit applications seeking funding for energy projects in an effort to improve energy efficiency, promote renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Donor Name: Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER)
State: Rhode Island
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/01/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The goal is to support clean energy projects in the agricultural sector. Funding for the Agricultural Energy Program is made possible through Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction proceeds, with a maximum award amount of $20,000 per project to support the agricultural sector’s clean energy transformation.
The Agricultural Energy Program represents a significant step toward filling this gap in the State’s clean energy portfolio by providing targeted resources and support that ultimately leads to increased agricultural consumer adoption of energy efficient equipment and deployment of renewable energy assets. Through the Agricultural Energy Grant Program, qualified Rhode Island agribusinesses interested in the installation of approved energy efficiency or renewable energy equipment will be eligible for grants of up to $20,000.00. Clean energy technologies can reduce energy use, lower customer energy bills, improve facility operations and comfort, and provide additional energy generation and resiliency. These funds are allocated through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction proceeds administered by OER.
Grant Period
All projects must be completed within one (1) calendar year of the award date.
Eligible Proposals
- Energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that support Agricultural Operations and activities as defined by National Right to Farm Act.
- Eligible farm stands which meet the intent of an Agricultural Operation to sell agricultural products, the majority of which are produced by the applicant’s operation.
- Applicant has not applied to the Agricultural Energy Program within one calendar year of a previous award.
- Applicant is limited to one Agricultural Energy Program grant received per calendar year, and there is a maximum of three awards received by any single agribusiness.
- Applicant has not been previously awarded two Agricultural Energy Program grants for renewable energy projects and one Agricultural Energy Program grant for energy efficiency projects.
- OER reserves the right to request additional project information from the applicant, including copies of any required permits, licenses, or any other information they may require to make a funding determination for a submitted project.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include agricultural entities and operations that fulfill all of the following requirements:
- Agricultural entities must have a physical location in Rhode Island with the ability to enter into a legal agreement with the State.
- The proposed clean energy investment must be implemented/installed at a Rhode Island based location.
- The applicant must be considered an “Agricultural Operation.” Agricultural Operations include any commercial enterprise which has as its primary purpose: horticulture, viticulture, floriculture, forestry, stabling of horses, dairy farming, aquaculture, the raising of livestock (including the production of fiber), furbearing animals, poultry, or bees.
- Applicants may seek program eligibility for operations not listed above by requesting an eligibility determination from DEM’s Chief of Agriculture.
- The leasing of agricultural land to another agricultural operation is NOT considered agricultural income and does NOT count towards the agricultural income requirement.
- Agricultural entities that are considered non-profit (with a 501(c)(3) or similar non-profit designation) are considered eligible applicants for this program and are not required to meet the $2,500 agricultural income requirement to participate.
- The Agricultural Operation must be able to demonstrate that it has produced at least $2,500 in income from agricultural operation in one of the last two (2) calendar years through tax documentation.
- The applicant must own the property or has otherwise received permission from the property owner on which the proposed project will be implemented.
- The Agricultural Operation must have received a general energy efficiency audit or commit to scheduling an energy efficiency audit prior to funds being awarded.
- In the event the completion of an energy audit is impossible or impractical for the proposed project, OER may waive this requirement.
- There is an applicant cost-share requirement of at least 10% of total project costs.
For more information, visit OER.
