The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) is pleased to announce that the Request for Applications (RFA) for Round 18 of the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) is now open. The RFA will be open from July 14, 2025, with a deadline for application submission of September 12, 2025, at 4 p.m. Recommended projects will be submitted to the Legislature for consideration of funding in the Fiscal Year 2027 capital budget. For more information on eligibility and instructions for submitting a Round 18 grant application, please visit AEA’s Round 18 application page here.
The REF benefits Alaskans by reducing and stabilizing energy costs through the development of renewable energy projects. The program is designed to produce cost-effective renewable energy for heat and power to benefit Alaskans statewide. The Alaska State Legislature established the REF in 2008. With the passage of House Bill 62 in 2023, the sunset date was removed from Alaska Statute, extending the program in perpetuity.
The REF is managed by AEA in coordination with a nine-member REF Advisory Committee. The program provides grant funding for the development of qualifying and competitively selected renewable energy projects. Since its inception, 296 REF grants have been awarded and funded via legislative appropriations totaling nearly $333 million. Over 110 statewide operating projects have been built with REF contributions, displacing more than 13 million gallons of diesel annually.
In REF Rounds 13 through 17, a total of 67 projects were approved by the Legislature for an appropriation of $53.6 million. The State’s continued investment in renewable energy projects through the REF program reduces energy costs, creates jobs, utilizes local energy resources, keeps money in local economies, and fosters economic development.
AEA commissioned BW Research Partnership to conduct economic and environmental impact assessments of the REF program, including grantee and executive surveys. According to the report, the REF has been instrumental in advancing Alaska's renewable energy development. With ongoing investment in the program, the REF continues to support Alaska's transition to a clean energy economy and enables AEA to diversify Alaska's energy portfolio, increasing resiliency, reliability, and redundancy through the deployment of viable renewable energy sources. Click here to view the report.
Renewable Energy Fund Projects by Energy Region
Statutes are available here. Regulations are available here.
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