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Officials announce $40 M allocation for energy plan |
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Sunday, 02 August 2009 |
By PAUL SIMS
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In a document, officials have announced a more than $40 million allocation to toward the implementation of the State Energy Plan, with goals to develop and keep jobs and move toward stronger energy “efficiency, independence and sustainability.”
The Mississippi Development Authority Energy Division is administering the program, according to the document on the effort.
MDA-ED officials say some $10 million in grants will be available through the Mississippi Job Protection through Energy Economic Development project.
These grants will help private companies in the state lower energy cots and consumption via retrofitting equipment and spending on energy efficient systems.
These steps will help move Mississippi toward a 25 percent reduction in energy usage from the levels of 1990, officials said.
The grants will be issued through at least two separate rounds.
The current announcement provides details on the first round only, with MDA reserving the ability to change criteria for any future rounds.
One future round is expected and funding will not be depleted in the first round, officials said.
The deadline for Round 1 applications is no later than 3 p.m. CDT Sept. 30.
As officials receive applications, they will review them and awards could be made as early as Aug. 15, and will continue throughout the rest of the year as Round 1 funds are spent.
MDA officials ask those interested in the process to call MDA’s Existing Industry and Business Division at (601) 359-3593 to start the steps toward pre-clearance.
A project manager will talk with company representatives about the program and make an application available once a company has cleared certain threshold requirements.
MDA officials must make certain the funding will be used to develop or keep jobs, the applicant will be in position to leverage 25 percent of non-federal funds to support the grant, the project will be under way in a timely fashion and will lower energy usage.
The largest grant award under this particular program will be $750,000, and an eligible business cannot obtain more than this amount through numerous awards. The smallest grant amount available will be $20,000.
Permitted uses include – but are not limited to – upgrades and retrofits to lighting and daylighting; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; water heating; combined heat and power and solar or biomass power systems.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 03 August 2009 )
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