Rural Energy for America Program

NREL partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which brings renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement grants to agricultural producers and rural small business owners.

NREL provides technical support and resources to the USDA REAP, through which $145 million will be allocated to expand access to renewable energy and reduced energy costs for rural communities. The $145 million will fund 700 loan and grant awards to help agricultural producers and rural small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments to lower energy costs.

Renewable Energy Technology Webinars

Learn more about renewable energy resource basics and renewable energy technologies eligible for REAP funding through informational webinars.

Register for the following webinars on Zoom:

USDA REAP Funding for Your Solar + Storage Energy Project: July 17, 1–2:30 p.m. MST

USDA REAP Funding for Your Geothermal Energy Project: Aug. 20, 11 a.m. MST–12:30 p.m. MST.

Additional technology webinars are being scheduled. Recent webinar recordings and slides will be made available soon.

USDA REAP Funding for Your Distributed Wind Energy Project webinar recording and presentation slides

National Association of Farm Broadcasters Audio Segments

The National Association of Farm Broadcasters produces audio segments with renewable energy technology experts that are designed to assist REAP applicants. New segments will be posted here as they are available.

Rural Energy for America Program Provides Funding for On-Farm Small-Scale Wind Projects on WINDExchange
Ian Baring-Gould, NREL senior project leader, discusses distributed wind energy, certified wind turbines, and USDA-REAP funding for distributed wind energy projects on U.S. farmland.

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