90-4-106. Criteria for grant or loan awards. The department may award grants or loans to applicants under 90-4-105 in accordance with the following criteria:
     (1) A grant may cover a period exceeding 1 year, provided that all funds for the grant must be encumbered or accrued from the program appropriation for the year the grant is authorized.
     (2) The department may give preference to projects that are also supported by funding from the federal government or other persons, provided the projects are consistent with the other objectives of the department. The purpose of this preference is to use the alternative energy and energy conservation research development and demonstration appropriations for matching funds in order to support more substantial research or commercialization.
     (3) The department may give preference to research centers unattached to existing educational institutions where several investigators can share supporting services. However, this may not be interpreted to prohibit the department from awarding grants or loans to existing educational institutions.
     (4) The department may give preference to research centers that make information available to individuals, small businesses, and small communities seeking the use of renewable energy sources and energy conservation in their homes, plants, places of business, and small communities.
     (5) All information resulting from such research must be made available to the public.
     (6) The department may expend or commit available alternative energy and energy conservation research development and demonstration funds. The department may commit funds for demonstration purposes only when in its judgment the expenditures or commitments have good potential for producing savings of nonrenewable energy sources. The department may not commit funds for demonstration purposes when any of the following conditions are present:
     (a) previous commitments of a similar nature were not productive;
     (b) a similar demonstration has been conducted within close geographic proximity of the geographic location of the proposed demonstration project, other than a project proposed for funding under 90-4-109;
     (c) the proposed demonstration project would not further the purpose of this part.

     History: En. 84-7412 by Sec. 7, Ch. 501, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 84-7412; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 356, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 402, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 98, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 730, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 33, Ch. 389, L. 1999.