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A new federal program is offering grant funding for rural communities to develop community renewable energy projects.

The Rural Energy Pilot Program, launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will provide up to $10 million in grant funding to connect underserved rural communities to the benefits of community-scale renewable energy. The program aims to help communities cut energy costs, reduce pollution, and address climate change.

Funds will be awarded in the form of cost-share grants for up to 80% of the total eligible project costs. They can be used to deploy community-scale renewa...