REAP is not accepting applications. A solicitation was released in January 2019 and awardees were announced in April 2019. All program funding was exhausted in this solicitation.

Any program updates, including public workshops or funding solicitations, will be publicized through the program email list serve.

You may subscribe to the email list serve on the right side of this webpage.

Other funding opportunities for the agricultural industry can be found on California Climate Investments.

The agricultural sector is a vital part of the California economy, and California's agricultural production is critical to global food security. Agricultural operations are also vulnerable to climate change. As California moves forward to achieve its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals for 2030 and 2050, efforts must be made to ensure that the agricultural sector remains vibrant and strong. The installation of onsite renewable energy offers agricultural operations an opportunity to reduce GHG emissions, increase energy reliability, and realize the benefits associated with reduced demand for grid electricity. The Energy Commission is implementing REAP to support this opportunity.

The program was authorized with the passage of Assembly Bill 109 (Ting, Budget Act of 2017, Chapter 249, Statutes of 2017) and Senate Bill 856 (Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, Chapter 30, Statutes of 2018). The program is receiving $10 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. 

REAP seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through projects serving local communities, including priority populations in disadvantaged and low-income communities. Doing so benefits public health and reduces air pollution.

The program was funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

The information below is a summary of relevant grant opportunities (as of September 2023), with links for more information. Contact information for each grant opportunity can be found through the links.  

A. CEC Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment Grants 

*GFO-22-301 – Commercialization Industrial Decarbonization. This solicitation is funding technology development and demonstration projects of promising pre-commercial technologies to accelerate industrial decarbonization and increase overall energy efficiency to reach statewide energy and climate goals. Applications for Round 2 of the solicitation are due October 23, 2023. 

*GFO-23-301 - Energy Efficiency and Load Flexibility in Industrial and Commercial Cold Storage Facilities. The purpose of this solicitation is to demonstrate and deploy advanced energy efficiency and load reduction technologies in industrial and commercial cold storage facilities. The goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enable load-shifting capabilities to benefit the grid, and gather real-world energy data to help existing and planned cold storage and refrigeration facilities reduce energy use and costs. The solicitation was released August 18, 2023, and applications are due February 2, 2024

Energy Efficiency and Load Shifting in Indoor Farms. This initiative under the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Interim Investment Plan will fund projects that demonstrate advancements in pre-commercial technologies, hardware systems, control systems, and operational procedures of a digitized indoor farm that would increase energy efficiency and develop the potential to shift load. The grant solicitation is under development and anticipated for release by November 2023. 

Clean Dispatchable Generation. This initiative, with funding from the EPIC 2021-2025 Investment Plan, aims to reduce dependence on fossil-based peaker power plants and complement intermittent renewable systems by advancing the performance and cost improvements of clean, dispatchable generation technologies. One research group being considered could support conversion of agricultural wastes to hydrogen for electricity applications. This solicitation is anticipated to be released October 2023-January 2024

Food Production Investment Program (FPIP). FPIP provides grants to help food processors accelerate the adoption of advanced energy and decarbonization technologies to support electrical grid reliability reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Solicitation is under development and anticipated to be released November-December 2023
 

B. CEC Clean Transportation Program and California Air Resources Board (CARB) 

*Advanced Technology Demonstration and Pilot Projects. CARB, in coordination with the CEC, has a total of $225 million available for aviation, locomotive, marine, construction and agriculture vehicles/vessels and infrastructure, as well as vehicle-grid integration to invent, develop, test, and introduce cutting edge emission reducing technologies. Released in July 2023, the solicitation closes on October 12, 2023.
 

C. Other Grant Opportunities  

CARB - Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE). Program provides incentives to accelerate deployment of advanced technology in the off-road sector. 

CARB - Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER). Program funds through local air districts for agricultural harvesting equipment, heavy-duty trucks, agricultural pump engines, tractors, and other equipment used in agricultural operations. 

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Grant and Incentives ProgramSJVAPCD has several grants benefitting agriculture. Examples include the Ag Burn Alternatives programAg PumpAg TractorLow-Dust Nut Harvester replacement programs, and the Technology Advancement Program
 

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA):  

  • *Organic Transition Pilot Program – provide support to farmers and ranchers who prepare land for organic certification. Solicitation opened July 24, 2023, and will close September 15, 2023
     
  • *Specialty Crop Block Grant Program – provides funds to projects that enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops. Specialty crops are fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). Concept proposals were due September 7, 2023, and invitations to submit full grant proposals will be issued in December 2023
     
  • *Urban Agriculture Grant Program – funds projects enhancing the viability of urban agriculture across California. Solicitation opened August 21, 2023, and will close October 23, 2023
     
  • *CalAgPlate Program – Provides funds for projects that will promote and administer agricultural education and leadership programs for students, teachers, and youth. Solicitation opened August 23, 2023, and will close September 20, 2023


* Indicates active grant opportunity. 

REAP Guidelines - PDF
The guidelines are a resource for learning about the program, requirements, and overall guidance.
 

California Grants Portal
A centralized location to find all state grant opportunities.

Contact

Renewable Energy for Agriculture Program

California Energy Commission
715 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

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Renewable Energy for Agriculture Program