Funding Resources and Incentives for Energy-Related Programs
Dear Colleagues,
In Fiscal Year 2025, NCTCOG is focused on sending out quarterly updates with a digest of funding resources and incentives related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy resilience and other related topics that may be of interest to our members. This email is the third of these quarterly updates. We hope that you find this curated list helpful as you are considering implementing new projects or programs at your entity and are looking for funding. When considering any funding source or incentive program, please confirm your eligibility first and start the application process early.
Check out these new resources now available on the Conserve North Texas and Go Solar Texas websites!
Featured Funding and Incentives
Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2
The American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2 is a multimillion-dollar prize competition designed to support energy innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity building, and economic development in communities working toward affordable, reliable, and secure energy resources.
The Community Energy Innovation Prize is made up of three tracks: the Clean Energy Ecosystem Track, the Manufacturing Ecosystem Track, and the Vehicles Ecosystem Track, each of which has distinct goals and submission requirements over three phases: CONCEPT, PROGRESS, and IMPACT.
- Competitors in the Clean Energy Ecosystem Track may focus on any range of clean energy technologies or initiatives.
- Competitors in the Manufacturing Ecosystem Track must have an explicit connection to sustainable manufacturing.
- Competitors in the Vehicles Ecosystem Track must focus their efforts on sustainable transportation technologies or initiatives.
Through the three phases, teams have the chance to win part of $8.42 million in prizes to help them advance in the competition and accelerate local solutions in clean energy, energy efficiency, manufacturing, materials, and transportation. Successful competitors will demonstrate a strong track record of building trust and strengthening relationships and partnerships within their communities.
Deadline: June 20, 2025
Eligibility: Private entities (for-profits and nonprofits); nonfederal government entities such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities; academic institutions; and individuals.
Texas LoneSTAR Revolving Loan Program
The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) has opened a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Texas LoanSTAR (Saving Taxes and Resources) Revolving Loan Program which provides low-interest loans to assist public sector institutions finance energy-related, cost-reduced retrofits of facilities. Recipients receive the loans and then repay them with the energy cost savings realized by the projects.
The maximum loan size per application is $6 million for State Energy Program (SEP) funds at a 2.5% interest rate and $8 million for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds at a 1.5% interest rate.
Deadline: August 31, 2025
Eligibility: State and local governmental entities, political subdivisions, public school districts, and higher education institutions
Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
The ITC funds renewable energy projects and projects related to the generation and storage of clean energy for technology placed in service after December 31, 2024. Eligible projects include fuel cells, solar, geothermal, small wind, energy storage, biogas, microgrid controllers, and combined heat and power properties.
Base Credit amount is 6% of eligible costs; 30% if prevailing wages and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements are met, with bonuses for Domestic Content, Energy/Low-Income Communities (Max Credit=70% of project cost)
Deadline: Phases out in 2032
Eligibility: Tax-exempt organizations and government entities
179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction
The tax deduction service funds the installation of eligible energy-efficient property in commercial buildings. Energy-efficient property, referred to as "property," installed as part of the following building systems may be eligible for this deduction: interior lighting; heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC); hot water (service water heating); and/or building envelope. This applies to property placed in service as part of a new construction or a building upgrade project.
Deadline: Dependent on the applying property.
Eligibility: Owners of qualified commercial buildings and designers of Energy Efficient Commercial Building Property (EECBP) or Energy Efficient Commercial Building Retrofit Property (EEBRP) installed in buildings owned by tax-exempt entities.
- EECBP: Certified as being installed as part of a plan to reduce total annual energy/power costs by 25% or more
- EEBRP: Originally in service at least 5 years before the building's qualified retrofit plan was established and certified as meeting certain energy savings requirements
Grant Writing and Application Resources
One Last Note
Energy to Communities Peer-Learning Cohorts Applications Opens
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is taking applications for the Energy to Communities (E2C) peer-learning cohorts’ program provided by the Department of Energy. These cohorts are for local governments as well as municipal and cooperative utilities to learn from energy experts on best practices, strategies, and tools for the energy topic of focus for the cohort.
There are two cohorts:
The Navigating Load Growth Cohort covers emerging demands on the electrical grid and has workshops covering stakeholder priorities, strategies to meet energy requirements, infrastructure needs, and opportunities to accelerate siting and construction.
The cohort on Engaging with Electric Utilities for Successful Local Partnerships covers the motivations, opportunities, and limitations of working with electric utilities. By the end, participants will be ready to enhance their relationships with utilities and outline a plan to advance energy projects or achieve energy goals.
Deadline: Applications are due May 7, 2025, found here.
Learn more here: E2C’s cohort program here.
Free Summer Building Operator Certification Course Offered by SPEER
The South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER) is offering FREE registration for the Building Operator Certification (BOC) Level I course this summer through an initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Training and Assessment Center (BTAC) grant.
This course is designed to enhance the skills of building energy efficiency professionals and support the transition to advanced building systems and controls. The course runs from May 13 through mid-August and will be taught live via Zoom by experienced instructors. Space is limited so early registration is encouraged. Interested professionals can register here and view the course syllabus here.
NCTCOG Staff Contacts:
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