Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin to Share $54M

Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin join the list of states receiving the DOE’s State Energy Program (SEP) grants with a total of more than $54 million to be split among them.

The Recovery Act funds are intended to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, such as energy audits, building retrofits, education and training, and transportation programs that increase the use of hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels.

This award represents 40% of the total grant allocation the states will receive. They were awarded 10% of the grant earlier to support planning activities, and the remaining 50% will be awarded when the states meet Recovery Act requirements for reporting, oversight, and accountability.

Heres' a brief look at how the awards will be spent:

• Nevada - $13,885,600:  Nevada will use its Recovery Act SEP funds for a series of clean energy initiatives, including the creation of a new revolving loan fund, building retrofits, and transportation upgrades. Nevada also plans to implement energy efficiency retrofits in state buildings and K-12 schools across the state.
• Rhode Island - $9,584,000: Rhode Island intends to use its SEP money to fund advance energy efficiency in the public, commercial, industrial, and residential sectors.
• Wisconsin - $22,195,200: The SEP stimulus money going to Wisconsin will be used to coordinate and expand state activities and policy development to achieve both state and federal goals of lessening dependence on fossil fuels, increasing renewable energy generation, and investing in clean energy manufacturing to create jobs.
• Vermont - $8,799,600: Vermont will allocate SEP money for incentives to advance renewable energy and energy efficiency measures across the state in the public, private, and residential sectors.