Pete HahnloserThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $27 billion in grants through three competitions under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. These grants come from EPA’s $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF), the $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) and the $7 billion Solar for All program.
Together, they will establish a nationwide financing network for clean energy and climate solutions. Since their selection in April, recipients have collaborated with the EPA to meet federal requirements and refine their workplans. Now that the funds are available, communities can start accessing the resources needed to develop cleaner, more sustainable economies.
The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund was part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history. Since the act was signed into law in 2022, the EPA has allocated more than $28.8 billion and is on course to award nearly $38.3 billion by the end of the year.
“With climate impacts increasingly impacting all Americans, and especially those in communities that have been historically left behind, EPA knew it had to move swiftly and deliberately to get this historic funding out the door,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said. “American families will soon feel the benefits in the form of lower energy costs and revitalized communities, while the United States leads the clean energy economy of the future.”
With funds now available, NCIF recipients can start work on clean technology projects, and CCIA recipients can begin providing funding and technical assistance to community lenders serving low-income and disadvantaged areas.
Solar for All recipients will be able to expand current programs and launch new ones for low-income and disadvantaged communities, seeking to bring residential solar to over 900,000 low-income households. Over the next few months, Solar for All recipients will collaborate with the EPA to finalize program workplans and budgets before starting program implementation and project funding in early 2025.
The NCIF, CCIA, and Solar for All programs all support the administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which seeks to direct 40% of benefits from certain climate, clean energy and other federal investments to disadvantaged communities that have faced underinvestment and pollution burdens. Solar for All recipients will allocate their program funds to low-income and disadvantaged communities, while NCIF and CCIA recipients will commit $14 billion of their funds to these communities, including more than $4 billion for rural areas and nearly $1.5 billion for tribal communities.
Organizations interested in applying for funds or collaborating with NCIF, CCIA or Solar for All recipients should reach out directly to awardees to explore opportunities and understand program timelines. Information and registration for upcoming public webinars, which will provide updates on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund programs, can be found on the Engagement Opportunities webpage.
Photo by Bryan Williams on Unsplash
