side-by-side-farm-bill-2024-rural-energy-for-america-program-reap-7c6db0abec37234e.pdf

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides a legislative side-by-side comparison of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) under current law, the House Agriculture Committee's amended text from May 2024, and the pending Senate version. REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.

• The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides financial assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for the installation of renewable energy systems—including solar, wind, hydrogen, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and ocean energy—and for energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, lighting, and the replacement of diesel irrigation motors with electric ones.
• The House Agriculture Committee's May 2024 amended text proposes increasing the maximum amount of a loan guarantee from $25 million to $50 million.
• The House version of the bill suggests adding a new selection criterion for energy audit grants: the potential for the proposed program to meaningfully improve the financial conditions of the rural small businesses or agricultural producers involved.
• The House version proposes extending the authorization for discretionary funding of $20 million per year through fiscal year 2029, whereas current law authorized this funding through 2023.
• Under current law and the House version, REAP utilizes a three-tiered application process based on project cost: Tier 1 for projects up to $80,000, Tier 2 for projects between $80,000 and $200,000, and Tier 3 for projects $200,000 or more.
• Current law specifies that grants cannot exceed 25% of the activity cost, except for veteran farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, beginning farmers, or projects in areas with long-term population decline or high poverty (20% or more over 30 years), for whom grants can reach 50%.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2024). side-by-side-farm-bill-2024-rural-energy-for-america-program-reap-7c6db0abec37234e.pdf. https://www.eesi.org/files/Side-by-Side-Farm-Bill-2024-Rural-Energy-for-America-Program-REAP.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. side-by-side-farm-bill-2024-rural-energy-for-america-program-reap-7c6db0abec37234e.pdf. 2024. https://www.eesi.org/files/Side-by-Side-Farm-Bill-2024-Rural-Energy-for-America-Program-REAP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=side-by-side-farm-bill-2024-rural-energy-for-america-program-reap-7c6db0abec37234e.pdf |date=18 June 2024 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Side-by-Side-Farm-Bill-2024-Rural-Energy-for-America-Program-REAP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2024sidebysidefarmbill2024ruralenergyforamericaprogramreap7c6db0abec37234epdf, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{side-by-side-farm-bill-2024-rural-energy-for-america-program-reap-7c6db0abec37234e.pdf}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Side-by-Side-Farm-Bill-2024-Rural-Energy-for-America-Program-REAP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }