MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced that Wisconsin has been approved for $28 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act federal funds for its State Energy Program (SEP). The funds are the first part of the $55 million in Recovery Act funding the state is receiving for this program.
“With these funds, Wisconsin can work with state businesses and take a leadership role in clean energy manufacturing and create good jobs,” Governor Doyle said. “Wisconsin is the only state to target its SEP funds exclusively to manufacturing. Wisconsin has a larger percentage of employees in manufacturing than any other state, and we can leverage our innovative, high-skilled workforce to create clean energy products and processes.”
The Department of Commerce (Commerce) will administer the program. Eligible activities will include:
- Reducing fossil fuel use in manufacturing by deploying renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies;
- Retooling Wisconsin businesses to enable them to produce components of renewable energy systems and energy efficient products; and
- Investing in renewable energy projects.
Projects must create or retain jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce fossil fuel use, and/or deploy renewable energy.
Applications and program information will be available at the Commerce website: http://commerce.wi.gov/BD/BD-SEP-ARRA.html
For more information on the SEP, contact Amy Cumblad at Commerce, amy.cumblad@wisconsin.gov; or David Jenkins at the Office of Energy Independence, davidj.jenkins@wisconsin.gov.
