RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP)

The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) provides zero-interest loans to eligible entities, such as electric cooperatives and green banks, to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, and electrification improvements for rural households and small businesses. The program leverages Rural Utilities Service loans and allows for repayment via utility bill line-items. A proposed House version of the Farm Bill seeks to expand the program by codifying green banks as eligible borrowers, adding manufactured home replacements to eligible measures, introducing grants for technical assistance and repairs, and reauthorizing funding through 2029.

• The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) provides zero-interest loans to electric cooperatives, state financing entities, and green banks to establish energy efficiency improvement programs for rural households and small businesses.
• RESP-funded improvements include insulation, air sealing, new heating and cooling equipment, distributed renewable energy generation, energy storage, electric vehicle supply equipment, and irrigation improvements, provided they are cost-effective for the end user.
• Between fiscal year 2019 and 2023, RESP awarded zero-interest loans totaling $538.2 million, with the highest annual award of $200 million occurring in FY 2023.
• The House Agriculture Committee's discussion draft proposes to expand the definition of 'energy efficiency measures' to include the replacement of large appliances or manufactured housing units, provided the replacement is a cost-effective option for energy savings.
• The proposed House version introduces grants to eligible entities for technical assistance, outreach, training, or property repairs that facilitate energy efficiency measures, with grant amounts capped at 5% of the loan amount, or 10% for consumers in persistent poverty counties.
• The House proposal suggests extending the repayment terms for loans to qualified consumers to match the useful life of the implemented energy efficiency measures, up to a maximum of 20 years.
• The House Agriculture Committee discussion draft proposes to reauthorize the program's $75 million annual appropriation for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2024). RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP). https://www.eesi.org/files/2024.5.21_Side-by-Side_RESP_House_FINAL_.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP). 2024. https://www.eesi.org/files/2024.5.21_Side-by-Side_RESP_House_FINAL_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP) |date=21 May 2024 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/2024.5.21_Side-by-Side_RESP_House_FINAL_.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2024rural, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP)}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/2024.5.21_Side-by-Side_RESP_House_FINAL_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }