Posts Tagged: Woody Biomass Grant
2015 Wood Innovations Funding Open for Proposals
The Wood Innovation Funding Opportunity is the newest incarnation of the Woody Biomass Utilization Grant and Wood-to-Energy Programs. The Forest Service plans to award approximately $5 million under this announcement. The maximum for each award is $250,000 with potential for more if the proposal demonstrates far reaching or significant impacts. A minimum 35% match from non-Federal sources is required to qualify for this proposal.
Important Dates:
Pre-application Webinar: | November 5, 2014, 1:00 pm EST (Link Here) |
Region 5 Webinar: |
Early December, TBA (register for email notification) |
Application Deadline: | Friday January 23, 2015, 11:59 pm |
The Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity is focused on, but not restricted to two main project categories:
- Expansion of wood energy markets that depend on forest residues or byproducts. These project types include State Wood Energy Teams, Wood Energy Projects, and Wood Energy Markets.
- Expansion of wood products markets for commercial building and innovative wood product.
Full details of examples of each category and sub-category are given in the Federal Register. They do not represent an exhaustive list and serve to provide a sense of the types of projects being considered.
Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are for-profit entities; State, local, and Tribal governments; school districts; communities; not-for-profit organizations; or special purpose districts (e.g., public utilities districts, fire districts, conservation districts, or ports).
Additional application information can be found at the WERC and at Grants.gov. Technical questions regarding Federal Register language and intent should be directed to your Regional Biomass Coordinator.
Larry Swan, Forest Service, lswan01@fs.fed.us, (707) 562-8917 is the Forest Service Region 5 (CA, HI, Guam, and Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands) coordinator.
Click Here for the 2015 Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity Register Announcement.
/h4>/table>/h2>/span>Wood Innovations RFP
2014 Wood-to-Energy Program Overview Webinar
2014 USFS Wood to Energy Grant Program Overview
Friday May 15, 13:30 - 15:00
Background
The Woody Biomass Utilization Group hosted a webinar on the US Forest Service Wood to Energy Grant Program. As the deadline for submission is nigh, this webinar was dedicated to answering questions applicants developing proposals. The presenters included application reviewers from previous years as well as successful applicants from the region.
Recording
Agenda
Introduction and Objectives -- 5 min -- Peter Tittmann (UC Berkeley)
W2E Grant Program Overview -- 15 min -- Larry Swan (USFS R5 State and Private Forestry)
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Large file application upload link
Tips on a successful application -- 10 min -- Mark Knaebe (USFS Forest Products Lab)
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Repetition in the application is a negative, be kind to reviewers and site appropriate sections instead of repeating.
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Create text-searchable pdf applications. Generate pdf directly from the word processing program used (eg Word). Don't print ad scan
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Adjust image resolution to reduce file size
Case Studies:
Mik McKee: Sierra Institute for Community and Environment -- 10 min
“A compelling story with no holes”
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economically sound
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ecological impact
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letters of support
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feasibility studies
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financial pro-formas for a range of technologies
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how is your project innovative and viable?
Elissa Brown: North Fork Community Development Corporation -- 10 min
- Feasibility study may provide most of the information needed for the application
- Feasibility studies are critical
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2 bids for engineering services
- System Impact Study necessary for interconnection (Rule 21) PG&E does the work $40-50k but can be more or less.
- Proven technology and experienced management team.
Q&A -- 40 min
Presenter Contact Information & Links
Peter Tittmann UC Berkeley Center for Forestry (510) 665-3518 |
Mik McKee Sierra Institute for Community and Environment (530) 284-1022 |
Larry Swan US Forest Service Region 5 State and Private Forestry (707) 562-8917 |
Elissa Brown North Fork Community Development Corporation (559) 877-2432 |
Mark Knaebe USFS Forest Products Lab (608) 231 9422 |
Large file application: |
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Open Application Period for Wood Energy Development Assistance
![wrtcBanner wrtcBanner](http://ucanr.edu/blogs/WoodyBiomass/blogfiles/20053.jpg)
The Watershed Research and Training Center (WRTC), as administrator of the California Statewide Wood Energy Team (SWET), is now accepting applications for assistance for development of wood energy projects. SWET is a partnership formed with the ad hoc California Forest Biomass Working Group and funded through a Cooperative Agreement with the USDA Forest Service to provide early stage wood energy assistance to communities across the state of California.
If your organization, group, or community is interested in early-stage assistance with a current or future wood energy project, please visit www.cawoodenergy.org to learn more. The SWET will consider a variety of assistance including access to our network of information about site assessment, pre-feasibility and feasibility assessment, financing, and workshop and outreach assistance. There is also potential for limited reimbursement of cost of consultants. Assistance with other barriers to development will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The SWET’s implementation members are experienced professionals representing a variety of fields including government, academia, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. SWET organizational partners include:
USDA Forest Service | University of California |
Watershed Research and Training Center | TSS Consultants |
Sierra Nevada Conservancy | The California Energy Commission |
CAL FIRE | Sierra Institute for Environment and Community |
To get started, the first step is to contact the team. Call or email Angie Lottes at 314-610-2237 or angie@thewatershedcenter.com. You will be asked to fill out a brief application (available at www.CAWoodEnergy.org). Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and considered monthly. It should not take longer than two months for requests for assistance to be processed. Basic questions, information and networking requests will be considered immediately. Funds for assistance will be available until expended.
Download official announcement here
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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SB1122 Staff Report Update
On November 19, the Energy Division’s Staff Proposal on SB 1122 Implementation and B&V Study (PDF) was released. Interested parties have until December 20th, 2013 to submit comments. To learn more about the SB1122 proceeding and the most recent developments, check out the CPUC site.
Some key proposals pertaining to wood bioenergy produced from byproducts of sustainable forest management are highlighted below:
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Projects eligible to seek a FIT contract pursuant to SB1122 may not seek a contract pursuant to the baseload, peaking, or as available categories of the FIT.
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SB 1122’s 250 MW procurement requirement should be allocated across the three large IOUs by share of statewide peak demand: PG&E – 110.78MW, SCE – 114.53MW, SDG&E – 24.68MW.
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Only new facilities whose initial commercial operation date is on or after June 1, 2013 will be eligible for SB1122.
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Any bioenergy project securing a contract pursuant to SB1122 must source 100% of its fuel from Renewable Portfolio Standards eligible sources and at least 80% of its fuel on an annual basis from bioenergy resources within the SB1122 category.
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The bioenergy feedstock for a category 3 project must be sourced from one or more of the following:
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Fire Threat Reduction - Bioenergy feedstock from fuel reduction activities identified in a fire plan approved by CAL FIRE or other appropriate state local, or federal agency.
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Fire Safe Clearance Activities - Bioenergy feedstock from fuel reduction activities conducted to comply with PRC Sections 4290 and 4291. This would include bioenergy feedstocks from timber operations conducted in conformance with 14CCR 1038(c) 150’ fuel reduction exemption.
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Infrastructure Clearance Projects - Bioenergy feedstock from fuel reduction activities undertaken by or on behalf of a utility or local state or federal agency for the purpose of protecting infrastructure, including but not limited to: power lines, poles, towers, substations, swtich yards, material storage areas, construction camps, roads, railways, etc. This includes timber operations conducted pursuant to 14 CCR 1104.1(b)-(g).
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Other Sustainable Forest Management - Bioenergy feedstock certified and approved as being derived from “sustainable forest management” by CAL Fire or another appropriate state or federal agency. View CalFire Forest Sustainability and Feedstock Verification Recommendations (PDF).
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The pricing structure for SB1122 should utilize a single remat pricing mechanism for each bioenergy category to set a statewide price for each category. Implementation of this pricing structure should include the following elements:
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Individual Projects will submit PPRs directly to a single utility.
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Each IOU will maintain its own ReMAT queue per bioenergy category consistent with the capacity targets proposed above: PG&E – 110.78MW, SCE – 114.53MW, SDG&E – 24.68MW.
- Execution of a FIT contract by a bioenergy project will result in capacity of that project being attributed to the SB1122 capacity target for the utility with which the project signs its contract.
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The IOUs will jointly administer a statewide “price pool”for each of the three SB1122 bioenergy categories to establish a single, statewide FIT payment rate for each of the categories to.
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The reMAT starting price was set at 124.66/MWh for all three bioenergy categories.
Important Dates
Pursuant to the ALJ ruling, opening comments from parties are due on December 20, 2013, and reply comments are due on January 16, 2014.
Following the submission of comments and reply comments, the ALJ will issue a Proposed Decision that will be subject to additional party comment. Final implementation of SB 1122 will occur after the CPUC formally adopts a Decision. All information is available from the CPUC site.
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Woody Biomass Utilization Grant 2012 - Workshops Announced
The annual Forest Service Woody Biomass Utilization grant program has been creating some confusion for people. Grants.gov has had information online for the program since November 2011 even though it has not yet officially been announced on the Federal Register. According to the program manager at the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison we can treat the information on grants.gov and on the FPL website as a pre-announcement of this years program. The Federal Register announcement will be very soon.
The advertised mailing deadline is March 1 2012 so if you are planning to submit it is important you start the process soon.
UC Berkeley and the Forest Service are holding 3 information sessions next week:
Monday (February 6) – Sonora, 3pm-5pm, Stanislaus National Forest, Register Here
Tuesday (February 7) – Nevada City, 1pm-3pm, Tahoe National Forest, Register Here
Thursday (February 9) – Redding, 1pm-3pm, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Register Here
Information on the Grant Program
The program remains very similar to last year when it changed significantly compared to previous years. Main points include:
• The program is focused on biomass to energy projects
• Equipment is not eligible for funding
• Grants will fund advanced engineering studies or similar
• $250,000 maximum grant per project
• Single step application process (mailing date March 1 2012)
Full information and application materials are on the FPL website.
Who should attend?
The grant program is of most relevance to organizations that are developing biomass to energy projects. The following entities may be interested in this workshop: power plants, project developers, National Forest System staff, other Federal agencies, forest-based businesses, contractors, rural communities, landowners, tribal entities, conservation groups, rural and urban economic development councils.
Topics:
• Background
• Application process
• Eligibility
• Obligations
• Timeline
• Assistance available to help with applications
• Questions
We will also include time to discuss other woody biomass utilization issues for those attendees that are interested.
Registration:
There is no cost for this workshop but advance online registration is appreciated.
Monday (February 6) – Sonora, 3pm-5pm, Register Here
Tuesday (February 7) – Nevada City, 1pm-3pm, Register Here
Thursday (February 9) – Redding, 1pm-3pm, Register Here