Biden-Harris Administration Announces $50 Million To Boost Clean Energy Solutions and Cut Costs for Rural America
ACEP’s Chris Pike installs monitoring equipment on the Kotzebue Electric Association solar farm.
May 19, 2023
As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced earlier this month that $50 million in new grant funding will be made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for community-based energy projects located in rural and remote areas across the country.
Designed to recognize and address the distinct energy challenges faced by rural communities, this funding aims to increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience in areas with fewer than 10,000 people by supporting projects with a dollar amount of $500,000 to $5 million. The announcement will help deliver critical energy projects tailored to benefit rural and remote communities across America and underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment to ensuring no community is left behind as we build America’s clean energy future.
“President Biden understands that for America to succeed, rural America must prosper, and he’s committed to building a clean energy economy that lifts up and benefits communities everywhere,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s announcement is a direct response to the feedback DOE heard from rural communities and underscores this Administration’s whole-of-government approach to deliver for rural and remote areas and eliminate barriers preventing access to federal funding.”
Read the full funding opportunity announcement for the Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program here. The submission deadline for pre-applications is 5:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, July 13, 2023, and full applications are due by 5:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, Oct.12, 2023.