Are you a creative thinker? And do you like energy?

If you like to stand out from the crowd and happen to like energy, then we have a program for you!  If you missed it last week, we opened up our Community Conservation Challenge program.  Last year's four recipients came up with some unique projects, and we're anxious to see what everyone proposes this year.

Head on over to energy.in.gov for more info.  Grants are due November 10th and range from $25,000 to $500,000 in funding.  A variety of technologies are eligible for funding under this program. Just make sure it's unique, highly-leveraged, and is community-focused (we can't stress that enough!).

Good luck!  We look forward to reading all those great applications.

Dieselwise Indiana program opens

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has announced that its DieselWise Indiana program is accepting new grant proposals now through October 31st.

IDEM is looking for projects designed to reduce the volume of diesel emissions.  On-road and non-road diesel-powered equipment project are eligible to apply.  Total estimated funding is set at $350,000, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.

Head on over to IDEM's webpage for more information.

In case you missed it...

In case you missed it, last week we opened the Alternative Fuel Vehicle program.  Applications are due September 30th.

Under this competitive program, grants from $40,000 to $500,000 will be available for on-road fleet vehicles.  The funds can be used to cover the cost differential between the cost of purchasing an alternative energy vehicle rather than a traditional fuel vehicle.  The grant can also be used to defray the cost of retrofitting an existing vehicle.  Infrastructure costs are not eligible under this program.

Applicants must work with at least one of the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities coordinators in Indiana - Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition or South Shore Clean Cities.

Head on over to OED's website for more info or contact Patrick, the AFV Program Manager, at 317-232-8939.

Have a CHIP question? We have an answer!

We've been getting quite a few phone calls and emails about our CHIP program and we've been thrilled with the response so far.  Remember to always read the guidelines first, but if your question isn't answered there, we put together a FAQ for you too.  All info on our CHIP program can be found here.

Good luck with your application!  Remember, the deadline is next Friday the 23rd of September.

Energy Action in Schools reminder

September 23rd is rapidly approaching and we're hoping some schools are interested in participating in this year's Energy Action in Schools program!

In case you missed it, the Energy Action in Schools program brings students and administrators together to reduce energy costs in their buildings while learning about energy efficiency efforts.  The program, free of cost to school corporations, provides funding and training for schools that take part in the program.  Teachers will receive Energy Patrol modules for classroom instruction.  The participating schools will also receive a behaviorial audit, including assistance in tracking energy savings.

Interested?  More info can be found on OED's website.  Or, feel free to contact Megan, the Energy Action in Schools program manager, at 317-232-8939.

Fundamental Research Program for Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers

The National Science Foundation is requesting proposals for the Fundamental Research Program for Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers.  (It's a mouthful, we know!)

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Energy and Environment; Advanced Manufacturing; Biotechnology; Advanced Materials; and Fabrication and Process Technology. $1.6 million is expected to be available, with up to 10 awards anticipated.

Responses are due February 1st.  Visit NSF's webpage for info, referencing NSF 11-570.

Sustainability Research Networks Competition announcement

Here's another federal opportunity --

The National Science Foundation requests proposals for the Sustainability Research Networks Competition. Through this competition, NSF, in partnership with other agencies, international efforts, and the private sector, aims to support members of the academic research community for projects which produce discoveries and knowledge that will inform decisions leading to environmental, energy, social and cultural sustainability. $36 million is expected to be available, with up to 4 awards anticipated.

Preliminary proposals are due December 1st, with final proposals due April 1st.

Visit NSF's webpage for more info and reference NSF 11-574.

PV Manufacturing Initiative funding opportunity

The U.S. Department of Energy has opened up a new funding opportunity for the PV Manufacturing Initiative Part 2: SUNPATH (Scaling Up Nascent PV AT Home).  This funding is for industrial-scale demonstration of the applicant's PV module, cells, or substrates that are at least 15% lower in cost per watt than the current market leading technology.  DOE expects awarding up to 2 awards for a total of $50 million.  Responses are due October 28th.    Visit DOE's webpage for more info under DE-FOA-0000566.

Recycling grants

OED doesn't typically handle recycling programs (the Indiana Department of Environmental Management does), but we did want to pass along this funding opportunity for anyone who may be interested.

A total of $500,000 is available for IDEM's Recycling Marketing Development Program, which will aid private businesses in purchasing equipment needed to remanufacture recyclable materials into finished products or industrial feedstocks.  Grants range from $50,000 to $200,000 with a required 50% match.  Deadline for submissions is September 26th.

Interested?  Find more information here.

CHIP re-opens

Are you a commercial or industrial business located here in the great Hoosier state, and do you have a large-scale energy efficiency project that you want to complete?  There are a few other stipulations, but if you fit that criteria, you might want to take a look at our Conserving Hoosier Industrial Power (CHIP) program.

CHIP is a competitive grant program, with applications accepted through August 25th through September 23rd.  Eligible projects include lighting, lighting controls/sensors, chillers, furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, insulation, windows, doors, energy management systems/controls, energy efficient compressed air, pumps, and motors.

If you're interested, head on over to our website - energy.in.gov - to read the program guidelines and to start the application.

Any questions?  Give Megan a call at 317-232-8939.

CHIP is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Advanced Hydropower Development opportunity

There's a new funding opportunity out there for Advanced Hydropower Development, for the research, development, and deployment of advanced, novel, and innovative technologies.  There are two different topics of interest, with anywhere from 5-15 awards expected for a total of $3.5 to $7 million over the next few years.

If you're interested or know of a company that is, the letter of intent is due May 5th, with the application due June 6th.  Visit FedConnect under DE-FOA-0000486 for the specifics on this opportunity.

Great Lakes Wind Power funding opportunity

We just heard of this new opportunity -- Great Lakes Wind Power - Making It Wildlife-Friendly -- and know it might be of interest, especially to some of our friends up in Northwest Indiana who have faced this very issue.  This program provides grants and other assistance to groups and government agencies engaged in monitoring migratory birds and bats in support of developing wildlife-friendly wind power in the Great Lakes region.

Applications are due May 6th.  Awards are expected to be between $5,000 and $50,000.  County, city, or township governments, public institutions of higher education, and 501(c)(3) non-profits are among eligible applicants.

This obviously isn't your typical energy funding opportunity, but it is something to consider in northern Indiana.  Visit grants.gov under funding opportunity FWS-ES-GLRI-10WW for more information.

Energy for Sustainability Program

The National Science Foundation issue a new grant opportunity, Energy for Sustainability, that we thought might be of interest.  The program is designed to support research and education relating to the production of electricity and transportation fuels.

NSF has a few areas of interest under this program:

• Biomass Conversion, Biofuels, & Bioenergy
• Photovoltaic Solar Energy
• Wind & Wave Energy
• Energy Technology Assessment
• Fuel Cells

Keep in mind that these are pretty technical requests (so, they're not interested in funding solar panels to put on your business' roof), so please make sure you visit the NSF's funding opportunity announcement for all the specifics.  The proposal window is from August 15 to September 15 of this year.

GATE Centers of Excellence funding opportunity

DOE has recently announced the Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) Centers of Excellence funding opportunity for colleges, universities, and university-affiliated research institutions with accredited graduate engineering programs.  The purpose of this opportunity is to overcome technology barriers that prevent the development and production of cost-effective, high-efficiency vehicles, and to train a future workforce of automotive engineers.  DOE would like to see applications that establish new or update or expand existing Centers of Excellence that provide engineering training for grad students in specific areas (which are advanced combustion engines, lightweight materials, advanced energy storage, advanced hybrid propulsion and control systems, and fuel cells/hydrogen energy conversion).

Interested?  Visit FedConnect under FOA #DE-FOA-0000442.  Applications are due April 18th.

EcoStar grants

Okay, folks, you'll need a shovel-ready project for this opportunity, as the due date is Thursday, March 10th.

Constellation Energy has released details on its EcoStar Grant Program for 501(c)(3) organizations.  Grants are for up to $5,000, with a cap of 20% for admin expenses.  Also, the program has to be within a geographic region where Constellation Energy does business, so that can limit some participation.

Here are the areas of interest:

• Pollution Prevention:  Recycling projects, drop-off collection events, litter reduction, or tree plantings
• Education:  Workshops, seminars, training, or public relations
• Energy Efficiency:  Projects or partnerships that support large and small scale energy conservation measures
• Conservation:  Wetlands restoration, wildlife/habitat protection
• Community Activism:  Neighborhood clean-ups, create public green spaces, community gardens, urban forests

If you're interested or know of a group that might be, be sure to check out Constellation Energy's website.

IMPA energy efficiency program

We ran across this press release a few days ago and wanted to pass along the info --

Indiana Municipal Power Agency (read about our site visit here) has just announced an energy efficiency program for commercial and industrial users.  Interested applicants need to work through the local member utility.

Read up on the program by visiting IMPA's website or by checking out the press release.  Good luck!

U.S. Offshore Wind: funding opportunity #2

Here's another wind energy opportunity.  The U.S. Offshore Wind:  Technology Development opportunity was recently released.  The pre-application is due April 1, with the final application due June 17.

The objective is to develop tools and technologies that lower the cost of energy of offshore wind systems.  Research should have long-term solutions for shallow, transitional, and deep water deployments.  There are five topic areas of interest, with estimated federal funding at $800,000 to $1.5 million per award.

Make sure to visit FedConnect under DE-FOA-0000415 for more info.

US Offshore Wind funding opportunity

Here's another funding opportunity for wind resources for you.  The U.S. Offshore Wind:  Removing Market Barriers opportunity is open until March 11 (for letters of intent) with a preliminary application due March 25.  Invitations will be sent for final applications in May, with that final application due on June 10.

This funding opportunity is designed to help overcome several barriers -- to reduce the cost of energy through technology development and to reduce the deployment timelines and uncertainties which limit U.S. offshore wind project development.

Here are the seven topic areas for applications:

• Offshore Wind Market & Economic Analysis
• Environmental Risk Reduction
• Manufacturing & Supply Chain Development
• Transmission Planning & Interconnection Studies
• Optimized Infrastructure & Operations
• Resource Characterization & Design Conditions
• Impact on Electronic Equipment in the Marine Environment

There will be an estimated 1-8 awards per topic area, with funding ranging rom $200,000 to $4.5 million per award.  A few topic areas do include non-federal cost sharing.

For more info, head on over to Fedconnect and search under DE-FOA-0000414.  If you know of someone who would be interested, always feel free to pass this info along.

U.S. Wind Power funding opportunity

We wanted to pass along info about one of the Department of Energy's newest funding opportunities, U.S. Wind Power:  Next Generation Drivetrain Development.  According to DOE's release, they are looking to advance wind turbine drivetrains by developing concepts and designs for the next generation of drivetrain systems.  Projects are expected to run for up to 24 months and will include two budget periods.  Estimated DOE funding per award is at $2 million, with an estimated recipient cost share of $1.125 million per award.

There's a quick turnaround here.  Letters of intent are due by March 7, and the full application is due April 1.

For more info, visit Fedconnect under DE-FOA-0000439.

CARE Program

The Environmental Protection Agency has released an RFP for the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program that we thought some of you might find to be a good fit.  According to the EPA, the CARE program is a "unique community-based, community-driven, multimedia demonstration program designed to help communities understand and reduce risks due to toxic pollutants and environmental concerns from all sources."

The EPA is looking to award cooperative agreements at two levels to support various activities.  This includes working with the recipient to form community-based collaborative partnerships, identifying/understanding the sources of risk from toxic pollutants, and implementing actual projects to reduce these risks.  Funding is available from $75,000 to $100,000 for a Phase I project and from $150,000 to $300,000 for a Phase II project.

If you're interested, the deadline to respond to the RFP is March 22nd.  To determine if you're eligible or to read more, visit the EPA's website.

If you do apply, make sure to keep us in the loop.  We always like to know what's going on around the state.