Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program

Provide assistance to supplement the capital costs for: 1) Installing a wood energy system that utilizes wood and wood biomass (including residuals) as the primary fuels source. 2) Building an innovative wood products facility which can include the facility, equipment, and/or equipment systems.

Projects that support the wood energy program may include: 1) Single facility central heating systems. 2) District heating systems that service several buildings. 3) Combined heat and electric systems where thermal is the primary energy output.

Projects that support the wood innovations program may include: 1) Building components or systems that use large, panelized wood construction, including mass timber 2) Wood products derived from nanotechnology or other new technology processes 3) Other innovative wood products that use low-value, low-quality wood.

Projects should support one or more criteria: 1) Latest technology boiler controls or control systems. 2) Carried out in a location where markets are needed for the low value, low quality wood. 3) Carried out in a location with limited access to natural gas pipelines; 4) Include the use of or retrofitting (or both) of existing sawmill facilities located in a location where the average annual unemployment rate exceeded the national average unemployment rate by more than 1 percent during the previous calendar year; or carried out in a location where the project would aid with forest restoration.

Grants, if appropriated funds are provided, will generally be nationally competitive and merit-based.