The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 provide $97 billion in funding to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for investments in climate and energy.
The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy’s State Energy Programs expect to receive approximately $37 million in IIJA formula funds and approximately $91 million from IRA formula funds from the DOE for grid resilience, energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy technologies, and workforce development. Formula funding is predetermined and noncompetitive but must be applied for.
State Energy Program – IIJA/BIL Funding
The purpose of this formula grant is to provide funding to States for planning activities and programs that help reduce carbon emissions in all sectors of the economy. NDEE plans to support K-12 public schools with grants for energy audits to identify retrofit projects that could improve energy efficiency and/or air quality in school buildings and other planning activities and programs to reduce carbon emissions.
Status: Awarded—Program Under Development
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant Program
The purpose of the formula grant is to provide capitalization grants to States to establish a revolving loan fund, under which the State will provide loans and grants for energy efficiency audits, upgrades, and retrofits to increase energy efficiency and improve the comfort of buildings. NDEE plans to support energy efficient measures in residential, public, and commercial buildings, with an emphasis on K-12 schools, by providing low-interest loans to finance projects. NDEE will partner with Nebraska lenders by purchasing a percentage of the loans at zero interest, which lowers the interest rate and leverages lender funds for each loan. Funds may also be used to provide grants for approximately 5% of project costs for energy audits and other program requirements.
Status: Application Submitted
Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid/Hazard Hardening
The purpose of this formula award is to make grants to eligible entities, States, and Tribes to prevent outages and enhance the resilience of the electric grid. NDEE plans to support grid improvement projects that result in a more resilient electrical grid and promote a clean and equitable energy economy. Eligible projects will rebuild and restore infrastructure for transmission and distribution, protect existing equipment from weather-related events, support new adaptive protection technology, and provide recruitment and retention of energy technology workers. Funding must be distributed equitably to Nebraskans, including underserved communities that are more susceptible or vulnerable to electric power outages.
Status: Awarded-Program Under Development
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program
The purpose of this formula grant is to assist States, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, reduce fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency. NDEE plans to support local communities in implementing high-impact, self-sustaining clean energy projects. This program will provide funding for communities based on their individual needs.
Status: Awarded-Program Under Development
High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program
The purpose of this program is to award grants to state energy offices and Tribal entities to develop and implement a high-efficiency electric home rebate program.
Status: Preparing Application
Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole-House Rebates
The purpose of this program is to award grants to state energy offices to develop a whole-house energy saving retrofits program that will provide rebates to homeowners and aggregators for whole-house energy saving retrofits.
Status: Preparing Application