Federal Register #Docket No. RBS-26-Business-0529

USDA Revises Rural Energy for America Program Grant Requirements

USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service has revised the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which provides grants for rural energy projects and related technical assistance. - Government buyer: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development mission area, Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS). - Programs covered: Grants for Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Energy Efficiency Improvements (EEI), plus Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance grants. - Project requirements: RES and EEI projects must be completed and operational before application. Applicants must provide 12 months of actual energy production or savings data, along with 12 months of pre-installation data. - Key restrictions: Projects are limited to one location. Certain solar and wind installations on cropland, systems containing components from designated foreign adversaries, and other specified technology applications are ineligible. - Grant caps: RES awards are capped at $500,000; EEI awards at $250,000. Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance requests are capped at $100,000 under their grant subpart. - Other assistance: Energy Audit grants support audits documenting energy use, potential improvements, costs, expected savings, and simple payback. Renewable Energy Development Assistance grants support technical assistance such as site and resource assessments and feasibility studies. - OEMs and vendors: No manufacturers, vendors, products, part numbers, or purchase quantities are identified; this is a grant-program rule, not a product procurement.

Description

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is revising requirements and processes for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Under the new structure, projects must be fully built and operational before application, and applicants must submit actual energy production or savings data for the prior 12 months alongside 12 months of pre-installation data. Grants for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements will be based on documented output, savings, costs, and system performance, subject to funding availability and annual notice criteria. The rule also makes multilocation projects and certain technology applications ineligible, and proposes a national scoring and selection process.

View original listing