Renewable Energy Development Grant Program

The window for submitting grant applications under the most recent opportunity announcement closed December 15, 2015. Announcements, application materials and more information are available on the program's website.

The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) offers competitive grants to renewable energy projects as part of ODOE's Energy Incentives Program.  ODOE created this competitive grant program in 2011, and it took effect on January 1, 2012.  This program replaces the formerly-available Business Energy Tax Credit.  Grants are funded by the proceeds of a tax credit auction, in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Revenue.  The budget is set at $3 million per biennium, but grant awards cannot exceed the proceeds of the tax credit auction. The current award opportunity, which closes December 15, 2015, includes $1.5 million in available funds.

A variety of renewable energy technologies are eligible to receive a grant, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, biogas, landfill gas, geothermal, wind, wave, tidal, and ocean thermal. Eligible systems must not exceed 35 MW of nameplate capacity. Applicants must be a trade, business, rental property owner or nonprofit organization located in Oregon. Interested applicants must fill out an application and mail it in to ODOE.  There is a $500 application fee and a 1.25% fee for projects selected for technical review.  Grant applications are awarded points and the applications with the highest number of points will be awarded grants.  For more information on the point system, see Oregon Administrative Rules 330-200-0000 to 330-200-0150.