Request for Proposal--Renewable Energy Equipment Grant Program Pilot Project
On December 31, 2015, Commerce released a Request for
Proposal (RFP) for a pilot project under the Renewable Energy Equipment Grant
Program (REEGP). The purpose of the RFP
is for Commerce to provide grants for pilot projects to install and demonstrate
new solar technologies that will provide supplemental heat in income-eligible
homes. Eligible responders are limited
to Minnesota WAP Service Providers with a current contract and who are not
under a Corrective Action Plan.
In keeping with the original intent, REEGP was designed to
provide supplemental heat through the installation of renewable energy
technologies in eligible households under Minnesota’s WAP. Initially, solar air heating and high
efficiency wood boilers were approved by REEGP as a direct source of
supplemental heat.
As solar photovoltaic and direct solar photovoltaic-thermal
technology costs have decreased, however, it may be feasible, in some
applications, to utilize those technologies in a cost-effective manner. This
project will provide an opportunity for Service Providers to pilot any of these technologies
in low-income housing and track costs and other impacts that could inform
further program development.
This RFP
includes a special request for information (RFI) to contractors: Entities interested in
serving as a contractor or project partner with an eligible Service Provider responder are
encouraged to submit their business name, contact information, and project
interest to energy.contracts@state.mn.us by Monday, Jan. 18,
2016. A list of interested project
partners received by that date will be forwarded to all eligible Service Provider responders
and posted on the Commerce website in an effort to facilitate communication
among potential partners.
Visit the Commerce
website to view and download the REEGP Pilot Project RFP, including
instructions for submitting questions about the RFP.
Service Providers may
still submit applications for individual projects under the existing Renewable Energy Equipment Grant
Program (REEGP). More information and current
guidelines are found in Appendix F of the PY15 WAP Policy Manual.
Register for the Mid-year Weatherization Policy Update
Time to Update Fuel Cost Libraries
Service Providers must update their fuel cost libraries
before the monthly WA database upload, due January 11, 2016, and use the
updated fuel costs for all new audits. Correct fuel cost libraries are
essential to accurate energy modeling in the WA software. Commerce will check
each agency’s WA library to ensure that updated fuel costs are being used.
Instructions for updating fuel costs libraries are below.
Updated unit costs to be entered in the WA Fuel Cost Table
are as follows:
Natural Gas 9.931
Oil 3.249
Electricity 0.117
Propane 1.906
Wood 184.400
Coal 126.000
Kerosene 2.960
Other 6.250
Instructions for the Fuel Cost Library (.pdf)
Registration is open for the Mid-Year WAP Policy Update on
January 20. Attendees from each local
organization are limited to three staff members. We ask that WAP Coordinators
attend, along with a lead auditor or QCI and up to one additional staff member.
Visit Eventbrite
to register your staff by Friday, January 15.
Program Year 2016 DOE Allocation
DOE has released Weatherization Program Notice (WPN) 16-2, PY16 Grantee Allocations. Minnesota’s allocation will be $10,006,066, an increase from PY15 of $1,812,255. Anticipated individual Service Provider allocations will be made available at the Mid-Year Policy Update on January 20.
Commerce Website URL Change
The Commerce URL where consumers can find online information about EAP and WAP has changed to http://mn.gov/commerce/consumers/your-home/save-energy-money/low-income-assistance/wap/. Please make sure to update your local websites or outreach materials with the correct URL.
|