Oregon Department of Energy Announces $2.75 Million in Available Grant Funding for Renewable Energy Projects

SALEM — The Oregon Department of Energy is pleased to announce it is accepting applications for its Renewable Energy Development Grant program. ODOE has approximately $2.75 million available for projects that generate renewable energy in Oregon.

Qualified systems must produce electrical energy from a renewable resource such as biomass, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, landfill gas, biogas, or wave, tidal, or ocean thermal energy. Grants are capped at $250,000 per system and may not exceed 35 percent of the project cost.

ODOE uses a two-tier system for the competitive grants, so similarly-sized projects compete together. The agency will allocate about $1.5 million in RED Grant funds to projects sized up to 300 kilowatts (AC). Another $1.25 million will be allocated to projects greater than 300 kilowatts (AC).

Projects are scored using a number of criteria, including amount of energy generated, job creation, community benefits, and more. Points are also awarded for projects that are designed with resilience in mind. Renewable systems that are capable of supplying electricity when the larger grid is unavailable – due to extreme weather or other emergencies – will earn more points.

This is the eighth round of RED Grants offered by the agency, which received a national State Leadership in Clean Energy Award for the program last year from the Clean Energy States Alliance. Previous RED Grant awardees include Oregon businesses, agricultural producers, manufacturers, public entities, and nonprofit agencies – with projects ranging from solar arrays to hydropower systems to biogas facilities.

Applications are due by April 22, 2019 and will be checked for completeness before going through a competitively-scored review. ODOE expects to begin notifying potential recipients this summer, and funding is awarded upon completion of the project.

A full opportunity announcement and application materials are available on ODOE’s website. The agency encourages written questions from potential applicants by March 25. The resulting Q&A will be posted online on April 1.

Check out previous RED Grant awardees, including the City of Salem, Coyote Trails School of Nature, and Bend Area Habitat for Humanity.