Competitive industrial grants available for energy efficiency efforts

From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. (October 19, 2009) - Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's statewide resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy, announced competitive grants today to help industrial businesses and manufacturers throughout the state to complete energy efficiency projects.

"In today's economy, many companies are severely capital constrained," said Ken Williams, Focus on Energy's business programs director. "Focus on Energy is committed to providing the financial incentives needed to get large projects off the shelf and on the table."

These grants will fund up to $500,000 or 50 percent of project costs per company for large energy efficiency projects that have been stalled due to lack of available internal capital. Applicants must document a need for funding to overcome the financial barrier to be selected. Approved projects must be completed December 15, 2010 and offer savings of 200,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity or 20,000 therms of natural gas annually.

"Focus offered a similar program in 2007 that was very popular," Williams explained. "We are pleased to offer an expanded version of the program for 2010 and give companies the opportunity to complete stalled projects."

Interested businesses should visit focusonenergy.com/competitive_incentives for more information. Applications must include a list of potential projects as funding is based on the energy savings from those projects and is paid when projects are completed. Applications must be received by December 4, 2009. For more information about large industrial grants call Craig Schepp at (608) 277-2948.