Washington Releases Summary of State and Federal Bioenergy Incentives

The Washington State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development ("CTED") yesterday released a summary of legislative actions from 2003 to 2009 that provide state bioenergy incentives. The summary covers production and tax incentives, public sector production, financial assistance, expedited permitting, and distribution and use incentives.

Click here to access CTED's detailed state summary.

CTED also released a summary of federal financial resources for bioenergy. These funds are distributed through the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Department of Energy funds include:

Combined Heat and Power ("CHP") Systems Technology Development and Demonstration: $15 million is available during the program's first year. The application deadline is July 7.
Industrial Energy Efficiency: $156 million in competitive funds is available in the areas of CHP, district energy systems, waste energy recovery, and efficient industrial equipment. The application deadline is July 14.
Industrial Energy Efficiency Grand Challenge Grants: Approximately $5 million is available for 2009 to finance the advancement of industrial procedures and technologies that decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The application deadline is July 14.

Department of Agriculture funds include:

New Era Rural Technology Competitive Grants: Awards of up to $300,000 will fund research, technology advancement, and/or training, with an emphasis on rural areas. The application deadline is July 20.
Rural Energy for America Program: $60 million is available nationwide for feasibility studies, renewable energy systems, and energy efficiency improvements. The application deadline is July 31.
Value-Added Producer Grants, which will provide about $18 million in competitive funds this year; Advanced Biofuel Producer Payments, for biofuel producers to increase the production of advanced biofuels; Small Business Innovation Research Program: Phase 1, through which $18.5 million is available to fund research and development projects for small businesses, in areas such as forests, rural development, and biofuels and biobased products; Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match for producers who deliver eligible biomass to specified biomass conversion facilities; and Repowering Assistance Payments to Eligible Biorefineries, through which up to $5 million or 50% of total eligible products is intended for biorefineries to substitute renewable biomass for fossil fuels.

Environmental Protection Agency funds include:

Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program: provides up to $10 million in grants to local and tribal governments to help fund creative initiatives that address climate change. The application deadline is July 22.

If you have questions about any of these funding opportunity announcements or other renewable energy issues, or would like to discuss the possibility of your project applying for these or other government funds, please contact:

Seattle, Washington
David Benson at (206) 386-7584 or dlbenson@stoel.com
Janet F. Jacobs at (206) 386-7582 or jfjacobs@stoel.com
J. Graham Noyes at (206) 689-7615 or jgnoyes@stoel.com
John Laney at (206) 386-7559 or jslaney@stoel.com

Portland, Oregon
Marcus Wood at (503) 294-9434 or mwood@stoel.com
Bill Holmes at (503) 294-9207 or whholmes@stoel.com
Dina Dubson at (503) 294-9675 or dmdubson@stoel.com

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Greg Jenner at (612) 373-8857 or gfjenner@stoel.com
Debra Frimerman at (612) 373-8819 or dhfrimerman@stoel.com

Sacramento, California
John McKinsey at (916) 319-4746 or jamckinsey@stoel.com
Seth Hilton at (916) 319-4749 or sdhilton@stoel.com

San Diego, California
Brian Nese at (858) 794-4102 or bjnese@stoel.com

Boise, Idaho
John Eustermann at (208) 387-4218 or jmeustermann@stoel.com