Focus on Energy - Renewable Energy Incentives for Nonprofits (WPS Customers Only)

Summary

Wisconsin Focus on Energy offers grants to support the development of renewable energy. Grant recipients and projects must be located in a participating electric or gas utility's service territory and must result in electricity or natural gas savings (i.e., projects replacing LP gas, coal, or oil are not eligible). The Focus on Energy standard program website contains an interactive tool to assist people in determining their eligibility for different programs. Implementation Grants (Current solicitation valid through 12/31/2010) Implementation Grants provide financial support for large-sized (energy production greater than 5,000 therms annually) biomass combustion projects and farm, municipal, and industrial biogas projects. The program is generally intended to assist systems with an overall cost of $2 million or less. Actual incentive amounts are based on a calculated estimate of the quantity of electricity and/or thermal energy the system will produce in one year. Grants are generally limited to the lesser of 25% of project costs or $250,000, except that school or municipal biomass combustion systems are limited to the lesser of 35% of project costs or $250,000. In order to qualify for incentives, projects must have a simple payback of 1.5 years or more. All implementation grants are competitive in nature and require a project feasibility study. Special Opportunities As of July 2, 2010 no special opportunity grants were being offered by Focus On Energy. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus information, resources and financial incentives help to implement projects that otherwise would not be completed, or to complete projects sooner than scheduled. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect our environment and control the state's growing demand for electricity and natural gas. Click here for more details on the overall funding structure of Focus on Energy. Focus has teamed up with Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) to offer a bonus to nonprofit customers of WPS. Nonprofits who install solar, solar water heating, and wind are eligible for a 100% bonus; those that install biomass are eligible for a 50% bonus. Interested customers should fill out the standard incentive application as well as a nonprofit match incentive application. Both applications are available on the program website.