Oregon’s Department of Energy has opened a second round of grants for community renewable and energy resilience projects focused on the state’s rural and disadvantaged communities.

The department said Tuesday it will once again solicit proposals for $12 million in grants of up to $100,000 for planning projects and $1 million for construction projects.

“The Oregon Department of Energy received dozens of applications for outstanding projects across the state in our grant program’s first round of funding,” Director Janine Benner said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be able to award grants to more projects that will support clean energy and community energy resilience, bolster local jobs and economic development, and create energy cost savings for Oregonians.”

Established by Oregon lawmakers in 2021 to fund projects outside Portland, the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program has a total budget of $50 million to be spent through 2024.

Under the program, grants for planning projects can cover up to 100% of expenses. Construction grants for renewables can cover up to 50% of eligible costs, while those for resilience projects can cover 100%.

“Awards will be made on a competitive basis, and priority will be given to projects that support energy resilience and that serve qualifying communities, including communities of color, low-income communities, tribes, rural areas and other traditionally underserved groups,” ODOE said in Tuesday’s release.

The department in October announced grants totaling $12 million awarded to 21 recipients under the program, after receiving 68 applications representing about $27 million in projects. Among the grant recipients were tribes, local governments, school districts, colleges and a rural electric cooperative. Awardees included:

• the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, which received $1 million to help construct two microgrid systems that pair renewable solar and battery storage to provide energy and resilience benefits to tribal buildings.
• Wallowa County, which was granted $100,000 to develop a plan for “resilience hubs” in the cities of Joseph, Wallowa and Enterprise in Eastern Oregon. Each hub will pair renewable generation with battery storage and electric vehicle charging.
• Jackson County School District, which received about $978,000 to construct a 107.8-kW solar facility with battery storage at an elementary school designated as a critical facility for emergency operations in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
• High Desert Biomass Cooperative, which will partner with the U.S. Forest Service to use $627,585 for an energy resilience project to expand the capacity and customer base of the cooperative-owned biomass-powered district heating system.
• Southern Oregon University, granted $1 million for a resilience project placing net-metered rooftop solar on two campus buildings with battery storage in one building to supply a critical load circuit.

Applications for the latest round of funding are due by Feb. 15 and will be checked for completeness before being advanced to “competitively scored” review, according to ODOE.