Stimulus Grants and Funding Opportunities

North Carolina is expected to receive approximately $6.1 billion in stimulus funds, plus $1.7 billion in tax cuts for working families and additional competitive grants that may be awarded. Click here to see a detailed list of how the $6.1 billion will be distributed in North Carolina.

A large number of opportunities are becoming available as federal agencies implement the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - or federal stimulus plan. You can search, monitor and review grant opportunities at www.Grants.gov; contract opportunities at www.FedBizOpps.gov; and loan opportunities at www.GovLoans.gov. To learn if you are eligible to receive government benefits, visit www.GovBenefits.gov.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $32.6 billion in funding to the U.S. Department of Energy with more than half of these funds directed to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program office. Here's the funding breakout from this office:

• Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy - $6.7 billion
• Weatherization - $5.0 billion
• Advanced Batteries Manufacturing - $2.0 billion
• State Energy Program - $3.1 billion
  

North Carolina will receive approximately $208 million for energy related projects in the next two years, including $131.9 million for weatherization efforts and $75.9 million for the state energy program.

Click the links below to learn more about Department of Energy grants and stimulus funding available from other federal agencies. If you have questions, please contact the federal agency directly - nearly all of the links below have contact names and phone numbers for additional information.

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Grants
•  Department of Energy Funding By State
• Solar Policy and Analysis Regional Centers
• Weatherization Grant Info
• Green Job Training | Guidelines (pdf)
• Electric Vehicle Battery Grants 
• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment in Indian Country
• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Biomedical Research
• Clean Energy Application Center
• SmartGrid Information Clearinghouse I SmartGrid Notice of Intent & Demostrations
  
• National Science Foundation Grants
• Environmental Protection Agency Grants
• Department of Labor Grants
• Other Grants
  

Click here to learn about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a nationwide program to jumpstart the economy, create or save millions of jobs, and address long-neglected challenges to help our country thrive in the 21st century. You can view the impact of the Recovery Act by Federal Agency or read the legislation (pdf).

Source: Information on this page is provided by NCSEA, the American Solar Energy Society, www.ncrecovery.gov, www.recovery.gov, US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency, and other organizations.

 

On March 31, 2009, the NC Utilities Commission issued their much anticipated Order changing North Carolina's "Net Metering Policy," which will become effective June 1, 2009. NCSEA's initial analysis of the Order identifies the following (minor) hard fought victories, which are listed below. After 3 years of NCSEA's work with our members, donors, grant funders, the NC Utilities Commission, Duke Energy and Progress Energy leading up to this most recent ruling on net metering, the Commission has agreed in part or entirely with NCSEA on many points; however, much more work lies ahead.

NCSEA first appeared before the NC Utilities Commission on October 19, 1998, to make a presentation regarding renewable energy and electric utility industry restructuring. In its presentation, NCSEA asked the Commission to institute a generic proceeding to consider adopting a net metering requirement in North Carolina. Due to NCSEA’s request, the Commission issued an Order on November 18, 1998, that initiated investigation and comments on the issue.

Click here to view the full net metering Order (e100, sub 83), issued on March 31, 2009.
 
The Commission made the following (minor) improvements to North Carolina's net metering policy, and ordered Duke Energy, Progress Energy, and Dominion to revise their net metering programs accordingly:

• Increase eligible system size up to 1 MW
• Remove the aggregate limit on net metered systems (previously restricted at 0.2% of the prior year's retail peak load
• Customers can choose which rate schedule they net meter under, BUT can only retain ownership of excess Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) associated with excess generation if a customer chooses to net meter under Time of Use Demand rate offered by the utility
• The Commission rejected Progress Energy's motion to include the "cost of net metering" under the REPS incremental cost rider, which means they cannot inflate the cost of compliance with the REPS in CEO Bill Johnson's attempts to minimize the amount of renewable energy implemented under the REPS law
• All technologies defined as "renewable energy resource" by NC's REPS law, except for thermal energy, are eligible to net meter up to 1 MW system size
• Duke Energy will revise their "SCG Rider" which is an alternative to "net metering" to also increase the eligible system size limit for this rider to 1 MW

The utility still cannot bill for "standby charges" on renewable energy systems under 20 kW residential and 100 kW commercial. In fact, NCSEA called the Commission's attention in this proceeding to Dominion's violation of the no standby charge ruling in the existing net metering tariff. The Commission Order specifies that Dominion remedy this violation.
 
NCSEA's initial analysis: For commercial customers, who are typically already on Time of Use Demand rates, that install distributed generation, all the RECs are clearly owned by the customer and can be sold. This especially benefits commercial customers that install systems that are 100 kW and under. For residential customers, the ruling allows net metering on the same predictable rate structure that they're accustomed and they will offset their energy consumption in the near- and long-term future as electricity rates rise. The new rules also remove the aggregate cap so distributed generation can be widely adopted.

North Carolina's strong interconnection standard and new net metering policy are proof positive that NCSEA is succeeding in our mission to create a sustainable energy economy for NC; however, much more work lies ahead. Your membership dues, investments in NCSEA and personal support make it possible for us to help you create a sustainable energy future for North Carolina and the broader Southeast.

This ruling was made possible due to NCSEA's work with our members, donors, grant funders, the NC Utilities Commission, Duke Energy and Progress Energy. In 2008, many of our members joined NCSEA and Vote Solar to petition the NC Utilities Commission and General Assembly, asking them to make net metering fair for consumers across NC. Also in 2008, many citizens attended public hearings and submitted consumer letters declaring their agreement with NCSEA's position on net metering, along with the highly credible filings of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (sponsor of NCSEA's Making Energy Work forum in February) and WalMart. Telling the story of their personal experiences helped frame the context within which the Commission's decision developed, and thus improving our State's net metering policy.

 
What is that?  "Defining" the New Energy Economy...
 
"Net metering" refers to a billing arrangement whereby a customer who owns and operates an electric generating facility, such as solar on their rooftop, is billed according to the difference over a billing period between the amount of energy the customer uses and the amount of energy it generates. Additionally, they're able to rollover the excess energy generated for the current month to offset next month's bill. Net metering is commonly referred to as the policy that "lets your meter spin backwards".
 
"Interconnection" is the technical rules for customers to "plug in" or connect to the electricity grid. In July 2008, the NC Utilities Commission largely agreed with NCSEA in making dramatic improvements to NC's simplified interconnection standard. As a result, the 2008 national "Freeing the Grid" report increased NC's grade for interconnection from an 'F' to 'B+'.

"Standby charges" are fees assessed on a distributed generation owner's bill to cover the utility's cost of "standing by" ready to provide electricity at times when the owner's generation system goes down.

A "tariff" is a rate schedule that has contractual requirements.