You asked for a description of the Clean Energy Fund’s grant programs.

CLEAN ENERGY FUND GRANT PROGRAMS

The fund was established by CGS § 16-245n as part of the electric restructuring law. Connecticut Innovations, Inc. , a quasi-public agency, administers the fund, which is backed by a charge on consumers’ electric bills. The law allows the fund to be used for a wide range of activities to support the development and deployment of clean energy technologies such as solar power and fuel cells. These activities include grants for the deployment of these technologies. The fund also invests in clean energy businesses.

The grants have primarily been used for fuel cell and photovoltaic (PV) solar projects. The funding for both technologies is provided through a competitive process involving requests for proposals. As of September 2004, the fund has authorized expenditures of approximately $ 25. 4 million for fuel cells and $ 5. 9 million for solar technologies. An additional $ 70,000 has been authorized for biomass projects.

The fuel cell program has provided financial assistance for 850 kilowatts of generating capacity at Saint Francis Hospital, Yale University, New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, and South Windsor High School. The energy produced by these fuel cell projects is enough to power more than 750 average homes.

The fund began its first solar initiative in 2002. It has sought to finance projects to help develop the solar PV industry in the state, relieve electrical load congestion in energy-constrained areas of Connecticut, and reduce barriers to installation, among other things. On February 2, 2005, the fund announced the allocation of an additional $ 9 million to its Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Solar PV program. The additional funding is expected to significantly boost the use of PV statewide by businesses, non-profit organizations, and other institutions. The fund also provides rebates of up to $ 25,000 for homeowners who install rooftop PV systems.

Additional information about the fund is available from its website, http: //www. ctcleanenergy. com.

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