Projects Support Climate-Smart Solutions Lowering Energy Costs for Rural Communities, Businesses and Ag Producers
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department is investing $464 million to build or improve renewable energy infrastructure and to help rural communities, agricultural producers and businesses lower energy costs in 48 states and Puerto Rico.
“USDA continues to prioritize climate-smart infrastructure to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before,” Vilsack said. “We recognize that lowering energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers helps to expand economic development and employment opportunities for people in America’s rural towns and communities. The investments we are announcing today demonstrate how the Biden-Harris Administration has put rural communities at the heart of climate action and climate-smart solutions.”
Awarded projects in Utah include:
- North Logan, Cars for less dba Express Auto will use a $28,059 grant to purchase and install a 29.9 kilowatt solar array. This investment will save $4,241 per year and will replace 47,127 kilowatt hours (99 percent) per year
- In Escalante, Escalante Outfitters Incorporated will use a $15,953 grant to purchase and install a 20.5 kilowatt solar array. This investment will save $2,242 per year and will replace 37,379 kilowatt hours (38 percent) per year.
- Circleville, Dalton Hay Company LLC will use a $47,135 grant to replace eight pumps with new Variable Frequency Drive's to regulate the speed of their air conditioning motors. This project will save $14,251 per year and will replace 151,291 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power 13 homes for a year.
Nationwide, USDA is financing $129 million of these investments through the Rural Energy for America Program. This program provides funding to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. These climate-smart investments will conserve and generate more than 379 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in rural America, which equates to enough electricity to power 35,677 homes per year.
USDA is financing $335 million of these investments through the Electric Loan Program. The loans will help build or improve 1,432 miles of line to strengthen reliability in rural areas. The loans include $102 million for investments in smart grid technology, which uses digital communications to detect and react to local changes in electricity usage.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information in Utah, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ut.
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