Energy Grants & Loans

Grants and loans are available to greenhouse growers to make energy-saving investments.  Below is information on some of those grant and loan programs.  If you have any questions or for more information, please contact the program directly.

Grant & Loan Opportunities

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) offers grants, guaranteed loans, and combined grants and guaranteed loans for the development and construction of renewable energy systems and for energy efficiency improvement projects. Agricultural producer projects are not required to be located in rural areas.  Grants can cover up to 25% of total eligible costs while guaranteed loans can cover up to 75% of total costs.  Renewable Energy Projects have a minimum grant request of $2,500 and a maximum of $500,000, while Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects have a minimum grant request of $1,500 and maximum of $250,000.

For more information, contact your state USDA Rural Development Office or in Michigan, call the USDA Rural Development Business Programs Division in the East Lansing State Office at (517) 324-5157 for inquiries and more specific information.

Financial Incentives for Energy Efficiency from DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency).  Includes local, utility, state, and federal rebates, grants, and loans.

Resources for Grant & Loan Applications

  • REAP Application Resources and Templates sponsored by the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
  • Small Business P2 Loans by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.  Qualifying projects should eliminate or reduce waste at the business location (source reduction), result in environmentally sound reuse and recycling for the loan applicant's generated wastes, conserve energy or water on-site, or are a qualified agricultural energy production system.