Mark Your Calendar for the 2023 CDFA Virtual Summer School!
Join us August 7-15 for a series of courses presented by the CDFA Training Institute. CDFA Virtual Summer School will offer five different training courses, all held online. Learn from our expert practitioners and experience CDFA's most interactive educational event of the year – all from the comfort of your home or office! All CDFA Virtual Summer School courses qualify for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program.
U.S. EPA Announces $7B Solar For All Program under Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a $7 billion Solar For All competition to increase access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy for millions of low-income households. Created by the Inflation Reduction Act's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), the competition will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to create and expand low-income solar programs.
Treasury Releases Guidance on Counties' Access to Clean Energy Tax Credit Under The IRA
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service released a proposed rule on the new elective pay mechanism established in the Inflation Reduction Act. The elective pay mechanism provides a new pathway for tax-exempt entities, including counties, to access certain clean energy tax incentives that have previously only been available to taxpayers. The proposed rule outlines how counties can choose to make an elective payment.
Massachusetts New 'Green Bank' for Climate-Friendly Housing
Massachusetts recently established a "green bank" to help finance new climate-friendly affordable housing and retrofit existing buildings so that they're more energy-efficient and fossil fuel-free. Officially known as the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank, Gov. Maura Healey said the green bank would jumpstart "green building and renovation projects" to help the state meet its climate goals and that it will help bring down housing and energy costs for low-income residents.
Ciresi Introduces Bill to Boost Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
The federal government is sending tens of millions of dollars to Pennsylvania to develop an electric vehicle corridor, and state money might soon follow. One legislative proposal wants to make electric vehicle charging projects eligible for an existing clean energy program. Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Royersford, introduced House Bill 1474 to expand the Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy program, created by Act 30 of 2018, to include EV charging stations.
Funding Available to Power Clean Energy in Rural Communities
The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program will provide partially-forgivable loans to renewable-energy developers and electric service providers, including municipalities, cooperatives, and investor-owned and Tribal utilities. The loans can be used to finance large-scale solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower projects, as well as storage in support of renewable energy systems.
USDA Opening $1B Loan Program for Rural Renewables, Storage
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utility Service will open on June 30 its platform for letters of interest for a $1 billion loan forgiveness program for renewable energy projects that will serve a mostly rural population. The window will remain open until September 29. USDA will then invite selected applicants to submit a full application. Projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass generation are eligible under the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program.
50 States of Solar Incentives: Alaska
Alaska enjoys the same level of solar insolation as Germany, yet ranks 49th in the United States in terms of solar capacity installed. As in all states, federal incentives apply to solar projects in Alaska. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 established an Investment Tax Credit that covers 30% of the installed system costs.
|