Grants for green energy projects are available through local, state and federal funding agencies.
Green living and clean-energy sources are in the spotlight as the nation struggles to gain more energy independence. Green energy grants are available to provide seed money for start-up businesses, to fund research and development of green technologies, and to upgrade existing business practices to be more energy efficient.
Funding for Environmental Issues
The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, or EJ, is administered by the Environmental Protection Administration and targets environmental and public health issues. The grant funds businesses and organizations whose primary focus is improving air quality, managing chemical risks, cleaning up hazardous waste disposal sites, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting water. One project the EJ program funded in 2011 is the "Clean and Green Globeville" a Denver, Colorado-based approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
High-Risk Concepts
The Advanced Research Projects Agency, or ARPA-E, is administered by the Department of Energy. ARPA-E works exclusively with high-risk, high-potential concepts aimed at connecting energy research and development of industrial innovation technologies. In its first year, ARPA-E awarded $363 million in Recovery Act funding to 121 energy projects based in 30 states. Approximately 39 percent of these projects are led by universities, including the Harvard Medical School-Wyss Institute's "Engineering a Bacterial Reverse Fuel Cell" program, focusing on electrofuel research.
Investing in Small Business
Businesses in rural areas can REAP benefits.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers grants from the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in areas with populations under 50,000, REAP offers grants for farms and rural small businesses to fund green energy projects such as biomass, solar, wind, water and geothermal technologies. REAP facilitates the development of small and emerging private business enterprises in the clean-energy production industry that operate in rural areas.
Sustainable Energy Grants
The United States says it is committed to ongoing research and development in green technologies, with the idea of propelling this country toward sustainable energy efficiency and sustainability. The U.S. DOE maintains the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy department, with extensive links for businesses and homeowners seeking clean energy grants and resources. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source for local, state and federal funding for sustainability projects.
