Utilizing the REAP Program

Utilizing the REAP Program. I’m Greg Martin as Line On Agriculture presents the Harvest Clean Energy Report. A deadline is looming for a program that helps to repay you for doing the right thing. REAP is the Rural Energy for America Program and according to Jeff Deiss, Business & Cooperative Program Director USDA Rural Development office in Portland, Oregon says there is money that is available. DEISS: There’s about $99-million dollars available through USDA Rural Development, part of the Department of Agriculture. About $11 or $12 million of that is going to be going into supporting feasibility studies and technical assistance for projects so the remainder of that $85 plus million will be delivered nationwide to farmers, ranchers, rural small businesses for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The program can provide funding for up to 25% of the cost of their renewable energy or energy efficiency project but it is a very competitive process. DEISS: The real sweet spot for this program this year is applicants who are seeking $20-thousand or less for their projects. I kind of think of it as the energy program for the ordinary rural business person using off-the-shelf technologies, solar panels, small wind. It can be geothermal, it can be biomass energy and other types of energy – anaerobic digesters and so forth. As I mentioned at the on-set time is becoming limited to get your applications put together. DEISS: There is some paperwork associated with the application. Now the smaller projects there’s something called the simple application which is not quite as burdensome but does require complete technical information about what it is that is going to be done and so you do want to work with your state office. They can help you with the application process. Deiss says there are templates on some websites that can help you plug in some of your numbers. June 30th is the deadline for getting these applications turned in. The applications will then be reviewed before decisions are made as to what projects will receive funding. DEISS: One of the good things that’s happening this year is each state is getting an allocation of its own funds whereas in the past it has been a national competition and some people felt fairly discouraged by that. So farmers and small business people in every state have a chance at some money and they just need to work with their rural development state office to get their application in. For additional information on clean energy, visit harvestcleanenergy.org. That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network. www.harvestcleanenergy.org