RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP) Program Description

The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides zero-interest loans to entities like electric cooperatives and green banks. These entities then offer low-cost financing to rural consumers for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and electrification projects, with repayments made via utility bills. Between FY 2019 and FY 2022, the program awarded between $69.6 million and $107.3 million in loans annually, leveraging discretionary funding authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill.

• The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) provides zero-interest loans to eligible entities—including electric cooperatives, state financing entities, and green banks—to establish or expand energy efficiency 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.
• Loans provided to qualified consumers by eligible entities may carry an interest rate of up to 5% to cover personnel, program costs, and a loan loss reserve, and are typically repaid through charges added to the recurring service bill.
• Between fiscal years 2019 and 2022, RESP awarded the following amounts in zero-interest loans: $71.3 million in FY 2019, $69.6 million in FY 2020, $107.3 million in FY 2021, and $80 million in FY 2022.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2023). RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP) Program Description. https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Rural-Energy-Savings-Program-RESP.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP) Program Description. 2023. https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Rural-Energy-Savings-Program-RESP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP) Program Description |date=24 February 2023 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Rural-Energy-Savings-Program-RESP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2023rural, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP) Program Description}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Rural-Energy-Savings-Program-RESP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }