OEI Programs
Rural Energy Startup Program Round 2 Awards
- On August 28, 2025, the Public Service Commission awarded $980,143 to 10 rural local units of governments under the Rural Energy Startup Program (RESP) Round 2. Awards were made to cities, villages, towns and counties for applications submitted by July 16, 2025.
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Limited funding remains available. The OEI will continue to accept applications in the PSC Grant System. Applications will be reviewed, and eligible projects will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis while funds remain.
- To learn more about RESP Round 2 Awards or to apply for the remaining available funds, visit the links below.
Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebates
- The success of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Energy Rebates (HER) programs are in part due to its strong network of IRA Registered Contractors.
- IRA Registered Contractors are trusted service providers who partner with Focus on Energy to deliver eligible home improvements to deliver eligible energy efficiency upgrades for qualified customers. These contractors are experts in their field and may be able to answer other questions customers have about current or future home upgrades.
- Since IRA Registered Contractors partner with Focus on Energy, they are also able to apply additional eligible Focus on Energy incentives for HER projects.
- IRA Registered Contractors can help customers apply for HER rebates up to $14,000, depending on customer eligibility and improvements needed. Multifamily buildings are also eligible.
- To learn more about becoming an IRA Registered Contractor or participating in the IRA HER programs, visit the links below.
Funding Opportunities
Energy to Communities (E2C)
- Applications are now open for the next round of Energy to Communities (E2C) peer-learning cohorts, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE).
- These six-month cohorts bring together local and regional governments, Tribes, and municipal and cooperative utilities to collaborate, learn from energy experts, and share strategies for tackling pressing energy challenges.
- Beginning in January 2026, the U.S. DOE is offering a cohort on “Successful Energy Project Implementation From Technical Assistance to Deployment.”
- This cohort will support participants in turning their energy project plans into action. They will focus on a local energy priority or project plan and gain tools to build stakeholder support, secure funding, and accelerate siting, procurement, and construction.
- Applications are due by Friday, October 31, 2025. Participants will be announced in December, and cohorts kick off in January 2026.
- To learn more about E2C, visit the link below.
Learning Opportunities
OEI Launches Energy Planning Technical Assistance Page
- The Office of Energy Innovation recently launched its “Energy Planning” technical assistance page to support stakeholders looking to learn more about energy plans or begin the process of creating one.
- The website overviews the basics of energy planning, the steps needed to create an energy plan, examples of energy plans created with support from OEI grant funding, and additional resources to help stakeholders explore the topic in further depth.
- To visit the page and explore energy planning, visit the link below.
Wisconsin Energy Efficiency Expo 2025
- The Wisconsin chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers (WAEE) will host the 12th Annual Wisconsin Energy Efficiency Expo on October 14, 2025, in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
- The event brings together energy professionals from across the state and beyond to explore developments in energy efficiency.
- To learn more about the Expo and to register, visit the links below.
Midwest Climate Resilience Conference
- The University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership will host the 2025 Midwest Climate Resilience Conference at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from October 20 – 22, 2025. The conference brings together representatives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors to inspire and encourage climate adaptation in communities throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
- The conference will:
- Advance adaptation and resilience for communities and ecosystems
- Foster stronger relationships among climate adaptation practitioners
- Expand the scope of climate adaptation work and coordinate actionable steps beyond the conference
- To learn more about the conference and to register, visit the links below.
Upper Midwest Energy Forum
- The Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin is hosting the Upper Midwest Energy Forum on Tuesday November 4, 2025, from 1 PM – 4:30 PM Central at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin
- The program is for business leaders and professionals to provide them with the knowledge and strategies to navigate critical challenges in the evolving energy landscape.
- Topics that will be covered include:
- Energy independence
- Future Energy Technologies
- Data Centers & Energy Consumption
- Cost of Energy & Future-Proofing
- Energy Efficiency & Resilience
- Grid Reliability
- Decarbonization & the Built Environment
- To learn more about the Forum and to register, visit the link below.
18th Annual Sustainable Business Council Conference
- The 18th Conference is happening November 4–5, 2025, in La Crosse, Wisconsin
- This two-day conference offers insights into emerging sustainability trends, proven strategies, and innovative solutions to help businesses accelerate business resilience and their sustainability impact.
- This conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to:
- Learn directly from businesses with real-world case studies and stories
- See sustainability in action with local tours and an Awards event
- Network with business and sustainability leaders
- Discover actionable tools to advance your ESG goals
- To learn more about the conference, visit the link below.
Energy News and Research
Wisconsin Joins the Affordable Clean Cars Coalition
- On September 4, 2025, Governor Tony Evers announced that Wisconsin is joining the Affordable Clean Cars Coalition, a multi-state initiative to help sustain America’s transition to cleaner and more affordable cars, support U.S. auto manufacturers and workers, and to improve air quality.
- Wisconsin, along with Hawaii, are joining the original 11 states that launched the coalition in May 2025, which includes California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
- Some of the key ideas states are working towards are:
- Develop solutions that make cleaner vehicles more affordable and accessible to all Americans who want them, by reducing cost barriers, increasing availability of options, and expanding accessible charging and fueling infrastructure at home and in our communities
- Foster meaningful engagement with manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, labor unions, business associations, utilities, community-based organizations, charging and fueling infrastructure providers, and others in developing and successfully implementing state transportation solutions
- Collaborate with one another, share evidence-based practices, engage experts, and develop solutions that can be shared across state lines and eventually scaled by the federal government
- To learn more about the Alliance and Wisconsin’s membership in it, visit the links below.
College of Menominee Nation Part of Energy Innovator Fellowship Program
- The U.S. Department of Energy announced its 2025 Class of Tribal Energy Innovator Fellows. The goal of the program is to increase access to energy career opportunities across the country.
- Among the Tribal entities hosting fellows in 2025 is the College of Menominee Nation located in Keshena, WI. The College celebrates its student population, inclusive of non-American Indian students while maintaining a strong focus on serving American Indian students from the Menominee, Stockbridge-Munsee, Oneida, and dozens of other tribes.
- To learn more about the College of Menominee and the Energy Innovator Fellowship Program, visit the links below.
Grantee Corner
- Welcome to the Grantee Corner. This is the section of the OEI newsletter where we provide information and reminders to our Grantees about upcoming project or reporting deadlines and provide other important reminders, as well as feature items highlighting projects to publicize the good work grantees have been doing in their community and across the state.
- Reminder for grantees with projects for OEI’s RESP Round 1, EIGP (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023), and Grid Resiliency programs, Quarterly Progress Reports (QPRs) for Quarter 3 of calendar year 2025 (July-September) are due October 15, 2025.
- You should receive a reminder email from the OEI about your upcoming QPR. If you have any questions, please reach out to the OEI at OEI@wisconsin.gov.
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