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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Related Financial Opportunities

Funding for wind power projects may be available through other offices in the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies. Financial opportunities not related to the Wind Power Program are listed below.

Grants and Tax Incentives

The federal government currently offers three primary tax incentives for residential and commercial wind power projects. The Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) administers these incentives.

Homeowners who purchase and place into service a qualifying residential small wind electric system (defined as less than 100 kW) by December 31, 2016, may claim the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit. This credit is worth 30% of the value of the system with no upper limit.

Businesses that begin construction on wind energy systems before December 31, 2013, are eligible for either the federal Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC) or the federal Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC). Project owners must choose between the one-time ITC, tied to the total value of the facility, and the PTC, tied to the energy produced over a ten-year period. To qualify for either the PTC or the ITC, these projects must begin construction by December 31, 2013, which is defined as starting physical work of a significant nature or incurring 5% of the total project cost.

The Production Tax Credit allows owners of qualified renewable energy facilities to receive tax credits for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated by the facility and sold to an unrelated person over a ten-year period. Wind power projects are eligible to receive 2.3 cents per kWh of electricity generated and sold by utility-scale wind turbines (indexed for inflation).

The Investment Tax Credit is a corporate tax incentive that allows owners of new wind energy systems of any size to receive tax credits worth 30% of the value of the facility. This credit covers utility-scale wind energy installations with no upper limit.

For information on these and other incentives administered by the IRS, see the Wind Program's fact sheet providing an overview of related incentives and funding opportunities.

Additional incentives may be available at the state level; visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) database for more information. Small wind systems installed for agricultural applications may also be eligible for federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit Wind Powering America's Agricultural Community page.

Other Financial Opportunities from DOE

The EERE Financial Opportunities Web page provides links to useful resources about financing and incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for the home, business, industry, utilities and government.

DOE awards funding to small businesses for renewable energy research and development (R&D) projects through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Visit DOE's Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer website to apply for grants.

DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) sponsors R&D grants for earlier-stage, high-potential, high-impact energy technologies. Visit ARPA-E's website for more information on grant opportunities or to apply.

DOE offers loan guarantees for eligible projects, including renewable energy projects, that "avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases" and "employ new or significantly improved technologies." For more information, visit the Loan Programs Office website.

In addition, DOE's Tribal Energy Program provides financial and technical assistance, education and training to tribes for the evaluation and development of renewable energy resources on tribal lands.

If you are interested in applying for funding, but your project does not fit within the scope of the posted solicitations above, please submit your proposal to DOE's Unsolicited Proposal Office.

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