Electric cooperatives have always been leaders on energy innovation, but a surge in public funding is taking that innovation to the next level.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 contained nearly $10 billion for the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, an initiative to support clean energy and efficiency projects in rural areas. The IRA also created the $1 billion Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, which provides partially forgivable loans for projects that reduce emissions. These two programs represent the largest single investment in rural electrification since the New Deal.
In addition, the bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021 funded a wide range of programs that benefit co-ops, including the Department of Energy’s GRIP program to enhance grid flexibility and reliability.
To learn more about how co-ops are leveraging these opportunities, we’ll hear from Lauren Khair, senior director of energy research and resilience with NRECA’s Business and Technology Strategies department, as well as Travis Million, president and CEO of Golden Valley Electric Association in Alaska, and Jason Williams, assistant general manager for engineering operations and power at Flathead Electric Cooperative in Montana.
Listen to the episode below:
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NRECA supports members seeking government grants through a separate legal entity, NRECA Research.