Briefing Series: Agencies in Action

Federal Programs That Deliver Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Benefits Every Day

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Agencies in Action

Find out more about the briefings in this series below:
Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America
Energy Efficiency Means Business
Climate Adaptation Programs across Agencies
Building a Durable National Framework for Large Landscape Conservation

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to view our briefing series on federal programs that currently deliver a host of climate, environmental, economic, and social benefits nationwide. Experts and practitioners discussed how these programs are working on-the-ground to deliver value to constituents across geographies, in both urban and rural settings. The series covered federal programs in climate financing, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and conservation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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The first briefing in the series featured the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), which provides rural electric cooperatives, other rural utilities, credit unions, and green banks with zero-percent loans to launch or expand energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and renewable energy on-bill financing programs. 

RESP was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2016. To date, RESP has made loans worth more than $180 million to 30 utilities in 17 states. Panelists will discuss the importance of RESP in helping rural communities transform how they finance clean energy and advance equity.
 

Key Takeaways

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) was created by Congress to help rural electric cooperatives and other eligible entities, like green banks, to reduce the energy burden of rural households. RESP allocates about $6 billion in loans per year to cooperatives across the country that help provide renewable energy, energy storage, or energy conservation measures to their members and customers.
  • There are more than 900 rural electric cooperatives across the country, contributing nearly $88.5 billion to U.S. GDP annually and providing about 611,600 jobs. Fifty-six percent of the U.S. landmass is served by rural electric cooperatives. This service area overlaps significantly with high-poverty counties. RESP is one of the most effective tools to increase quality of life for rural and low-income households.
  • The Equity Commission that advises USDA programs and policies can ensure that RESP funding reaches disadvantaged communities.
  • Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) is a rural electric utility in San Juan County, Washington. OPALCO, with help from EESI, started an on-bill financing program in 2019 with $5.8 million in loans from RESP. The cooperative now has an aggregate of $46.8 million in RESP funds available to loan out.