Projects Will Lower Energy Costs for New Jersey Businesses
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. In New Jersey, six businesses and one economic development organization will receive a total of $1,676192 in loan and grant funding.
“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.”
USDA Rural Development New Jersey Acting State Director Brandon R. Pfeilmeier said, “This investment will not only help New Jersey businesses to install renewable energy systems that will lower operating costs over time, but will also contribute to an overall cleaner environment and more sustainable future for New Jersey communities.”
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.
In New Jersey, six businesses and one economic development organization have been selected to receive REAP Grants for a total of $1,676,192:
REAP Grant Recipients:
• The Computer Specialist LLC, located in Medford, has received a grant in the amount of $16,402. This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 25 kilowatt ground mount solar array. This project will generate 34 kilowatt hours of energy for annual savings of 15.4 kilowatt hours or 45 percent of their current energy cost.
• Creamery on 83, located in Cape May Court House, has received a grant in the amount of $20,000. This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 40 kilowatt ground (canopy) mount solar array system for Creamery on 83, LLC. The Creamery on 83, LLC is an seasonal ice cream shop in Cape May County, New Jersey. This project, when completed, will generate 49,262 kilowatt hours of energy which is anticipated to replace 100 percent of expected usage.
• Fernbrook Nursery, located in Chesterfield, has received a grant in the amount of $14,248. This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 24.15 kilowatt roof top solar array system for Fernbrook Nursery Incorporated. The wholesale nursery grows and sells a large variety of flowering plants, trees and shrubs on their 230 acres of farmland. Fernbrook's Nursery, Incorporated. will realize significant energy savings, over $67,000 per year.
• Willow Creek Wineries, located in Cape May, has received a grant in the amount of $9,182. This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and install a 17.49 kilowatt roof top solar array system for Willow Creek Winery. The winery produces premium wines on their 50-acre farm in Cape May, New Jersey. This project when completed and operational will realize a savings of over $15,000 per year.
• Tuckahoe Turf, located in Hammonton, has received a grant in the amount of $11,360. This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 150 HP Electric Irrigation Motor. The sod farm, which has over 800 acres, is replacing their diesel motor for an electric motor which is a cleaner energy source. This project, when completed, will generate 18,501 kilowatt hours of energy over a 248 hour period for a 78 percent savings.
• North Jersey RC&D Area Incorporated, in Asbury, has received a REAP Renewable Energy Development Assistance (REDA) grant in the amount of $100,000. This Rural Development investment will be used to advance awareness and implementation of renewable energy systems in New Jersey. North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development will help promote the availability of renewable energy assessments and technical assistance through a marketing and outreach campaign in Northern New Jersey. This effort will support the local Rural Development office by helping project participants apply for USDA REAP grants and/or other funding programs.
REAP Loan Recipient:
• Delb PPA, located in Morristown, has received a REAP Guaranteed Loan in partnership with lender Live Oak Bank, in the amount of $1,505,000. This Rural Development investment will be used to provide permanent financing of a 750 kilowatt roof mount solar array on eight separate buildings on the campus of Delbarton School in Morris County, New Jersey. Energy produced will be purchased by the school via a 20 year power purchase agreement.
For more information on the REAP Program, contact Maryann Tancredi, Business & Cooperative Programs Director, at (856) 787-7752 or Maryann.Tancredi@usda.gov.
The Department is announcing investments today in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
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, visit www.rd.usda.gov/nj.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.
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