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Missouri

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RENEWABLE ENERGY AND
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM

RD INSTRUCTION 4280-B
PURPOSE: To help farmers, ranchers and rural small business purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
Applicants
Eligibility
Eligible Projects
Eligible Projects Costs
Size of Grants
Application Requirements
How To Apply
Where to Apply
Selection Process
For More Information
APPLICANTS:
  • Farmers
  • Ranchers
  • Rural Small Business
ELIGIBILITY:
  • Agricultural producers must obtain at least 50% of gross income from their agriculture business
  • Must meet the small business definition as determined by the Small Business Administration for the specific industry
  • Location in a rural area
ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS:
 
  • Renewable energy or energy efficiency projects
    • Renewable energy projects are defined where energy is derived from wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, or for which hydrogen is derived from biomass or water.  The term biomass includes any organic material that is available on a renewable or recurring basis such as:  agricultural crops, trees grown for energy production, wood waste, and wood residues, plants (including aquatic plants and grasses), residues, fibers, animal wastes and other waste materials, and fats, oils and greases (including those that are recycled)
  • Must be located in a rural area utilizing a pre-commercial or commercially available, replicable and feasible technology
  • Applicant must be owner of the project and control the operation and maintenance of the proposed project
  • Must demonstrate that the project has sufficient revenues to provide for operation and maintenance.
ELIGIBLE
PROJECTS
COSTS:		 All costs must be an integral part and necessary part of the total project.  Examples include:
  • Post-application purchase and installation of equipment, except agricultural tillage equipment and vehicles
  • Post-application construction or project improvements except for residential
  • Energy audits or assessments
  • Permit fess
  • Professional service fees, except for application preparation
  • Feasibility studies
  • Business plans
  • Retrofitting, and
  • For energy efficiency projects, construction of a new facility only when the facility is used for the same purpose, is approximately the same size, and based on the energy audit will provide more energy savings than improving an existing facility.  Only costs identified in the energy audit are allowed
SIZE OF
GRANTS:
  • Requests may not exceed 25% of eligible project costs
  • Minimum grant request is $2,500
  • For renewable energy projects, maximum request is $500,000 and all requests over $200,000 require a feasibility study prepared by a qualified independent consultant.
  • For energy efficiency projects, the maximum grant request is $250,000 and all projects with total costs over $50,000 require an energy audit prepared by a qualified independent consultant.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
 Application requirements can be found in Rural Development Instruction 4280-B.

To qualify for funding, all applications must meet the application requirements and all projects must meet technical and environmental requirements.

There are different technical requirements for proposed projects based on the type of technology and size of the project.  Any project with total project costs of $50,000 requires a professional engineer.

More guidance on the technical requirements can be found at:  http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/.

Any project receiving federal funds is subject to the environmental requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  Questions about any potential environmental or public concern with the project can contact the USDA Missouri State Energy Coordinator by calling (573) 876-0995.
HOW TO APPLY:
 Applicants should contact the USDA Missouri State Energy Coordinator by calling (573) 876-0995.
WHERE TO
APPLY:		 Applicants should submit applications to the USDA Missouri Rural Development State Office.  Applicants are encouraged to contact the USDA Missouri State Energy Coordinator by calling (573) 876-0995.
SELECTION
PROCESS:
 Applications will be selected based on evaluation criteria.

Renewable energy projects will be scored on the following criteria:  quantity of energy produced, environmental benefits, commercial availability, cost effectiveness, matching funds, and project management.

Energy efficiency projects will be scored on the following criteria:  energy savings, cost effectiveness and matching funds.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION:
 Contact the USDA Missouri State Energy Coordinator by calling (573) 876-0995 or visiting the Farm Bill website at:  http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill.


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Revised on:   April 9, 2008


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