House Passes Farm Bill With $880M In Renewables And Energy Efficiency Provisions
North American Wind Power, January 30, 2014The Agricultural Act of 2014- popularly known as the farm bill – passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, paving the way for $881 million in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.
The legislation includes the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which offers grants and loans to rural businesses and agricultural producers for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including solar and small wind power systems. The so-called energy title also provides funding for biofuel programs.
The REAP provisions, described under Title IX, specify that $45 million be allocated in each fiscal year from 2014 through 2018 to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy. Applications for REAP funding are to be evaluated under the three-tiered approach, representing projects costing $80,000 or less, those over $80,000 but less than $200,000, and those costing $200,000 or more.