Description

South Dakota offers loans to nonprofits, schools, and government agencies located in South Dakota to pay for energy audits, energy efficiency improvements, and renewable energy installations. Loans must be repaid within 10 years, and carry a 0% interest rate. The loan program is available to all K-12 school districts, South Dakota Technical Schools, and community-based nonprofits.

Renewable energy projects must be built on site at government buildings. The capacity of such systems are limited as follows:

• Photovoltaics: Must be "appropriately-sized" on an existing rooftop or parking shade structure, or a maximum of 60 kW if located on the ground within the boundaries of a government facility.
• Wind turbines: Must be 20 kW or smaller.
• Solar thermal: Must be 20 kW or smaller.
• Solar thermal hot water: Must be appropriately sized for small buildings.
• Ground source heat pump: Must be 5.5-ton capacity or smaller. Horizontal, vertical, ground, or closed-loop systems are eligible.
• Combined heat and power: Must be appropriately sized for the building where it is located.
• Biomass thermal – Must be 3 MMBTU/hour or smaller. Must use Best Available Control Technologies.

Applications are available on the program web site. Reporting, job creation, Davis Bacon Act, and all other Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant requirements apply.