MADISON – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC or Commission) announced today that it received 135 applications requesting $42.35 million for its Energy Innovation Grant Program (EIGP). The Commission is expected to award up to $10 million for energy-related projects to reduce energy consumption, increase the deployment of renewable energy and energy storage, bolster preparedness and resiliency in the energy system, and incorporate comprehensive energy planning.
“The sheer number of applications we received this year is a testament to the growing public interest in energy innovation projects and the program’s overall success,” said PSC Commissioner Tyler Huebner. “Last year I had the privilege of touring completed EIGP sites and saw firsthand the ingenuity and positive community impact of the projects. I look forward to seeing the ways in which more Wisconsin communities and businesses create jobs, reduce costs, and support the statewide goal of carbon-free electricity consumption by 2050 through this grant program.”
In the 2021 grant round, the Commission received 105 applications requesting more than $31.5 million in funding. The Commission funded 46 grants for a total of $10 million. In September 2022, the Commission voted to maintain the total funding allocated for the 2022 grant cycle at $10 million, matching 2021’s largest round in program history, to meet the continuing demand for support for innovative energy projects.
Entities eligible to apply for grant funds included: Wisconsin manufacturers, municipalities, universities, schools, hospitals, and like entities (MUSH Market): cities; villages; towns; counties; K-12 school districts; tribes; municipal water and wastewater utilities; municipal electric utilities; municipal natural gas utilities; electric cooperatives; University of Wisconsin System campuses and facilities; the Wisconsin Technical College System; public or nonprofit hospitals; and 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
During the application evaluation, an evaluation panel will consider, among other factors, the energy savings, additional funds leveraged and economic impact, equitable distribution of projects and benefits, innovation, and improvement of Wisconsin’s energy resiliency. The Commission is expected to announce grant recipients in the spring of 2023.
Click here for more information about the Energy Innovation Grant Program, including more information on projects funded in previous grant rounds.
