The USDA is holding a series of webinars to help organizations learn how to apply for a combined $11 billion it plans to award through two programs that support the deployment of clean and renewable energy, including eligible biomass projects.

The agency in mid-May announced it will soon begin accepting letters of interest (LOIs) for $9.7 billion that is being made available through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program and $1 billion that is being made available under the Power Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program.

The New ERA program aims to help eligible rural electric cooperatives deploy renewable energy systems, zero-emission and carbon capture systems. Several types of awards are available under the New ERA program, including loans, loan modifications, loan/grant combinations and grants.

The PACE program will award partially forgivable loans to renewable-energy developers and electric service providers, including municipalities, cooperatives, and investor-owned and Tribal utilities to help finance large-scale biomass, solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower projects, along with energy storage projects in support of renewable energy systems.

The USDA will accept LOIs for the New Era program from July 31 through Aug. 31 and LOIs for PACE funding from June 30 through Sept. 29. The agency has currently scheduled nine webinars related to the PACE and New Era programs. The events, with dates spanning throughout June, July and August, will address a variety of issues, including program eligibility and the application process.

Additional information is available on the USDA website.