REAP Deadlines Approaching
REAP Deadlines Approaching. I’m Greg Martin as Line On Agriculture presents the Harvest Clean Energy Report.
If you have been considering applying for a REAP grant, now is the time to make a decision. REAP stands for Renewable Energy for America program and according to Leif Elgethun founder of E-Newables, a renewable energy and energy efficiency consulting company, it’s not too late to get a project going.
ELGETHUN: You know now could be the time if they start right now and they have a project that they think is feasible, that they’ve done a little bit of research on and have a good idea that it’s a project that they might want to do.
Deadlines for the program have not been officially set yet but they are traditionally sometime between the end of April and the end of June. Elgethun cautions people to not rush into a project.
ELGETHUN: If they are still in the phase of looking for potential projects; don’t have an idea of what they want to do, what they might want to do is look at getting an energy audit if they’re looking at energy savings. Looking at a feasibility report if they’re looking at doing renewable energy generation. If they haven’t really gotten into it too far this year and it’s not a real simple thing like changing out light bulbs it might be better to lay the groundwork apply for the grant next year.
The role of consultant can be a very helpful one depending on the program.
ELGETHUN: It can definitely differ depending on the knowledge and level of time somebody has to put in to try and figure out how to put a project together, what the steps are and what’s needed. I definitely think from the clients I have worked with that they’re really busy with their normal operations and they’re not experts in energy and a lot of times their projects move a lot faster, a lot cleaner, a lot easier if they have a consultant that can help them navigate the necessary steps to go from an idea to reality.
Elgethun spends time doing workshops and was recently in Montana.
ELGETHUN: I recently represented Harvesting Clean Energy over in Montana to present a couple of workshops. I basically went through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program application and what is required to complete that application so that folks would have an idea of what they need to have in line to actually complete and application.
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.
