NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 3, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Tennessee State Director Arlisa Armstrong announced today that USDA is partnering with farmers and small businesses to expand access to clean energy and lower energy bills through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
“Today, USDA is announcing investments through the Rural Energy for America Program, totaling more than $1.1 million dollars through two projects in Tennessee,” State Director Armstrong said. “The investments announced today will spur economic growth in rural communities across Tennessee through clean energy projects that lower costs for agriculture producers and rural small businesses and families.”
Today, USDA is investing $104 million in loans and grants that will support over 300 clean energy projects in 34 states. Many of the projects are funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis. The projects also advance President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the nation’s economy from the middle out and the bottom up.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $2.3 billion through REAP in 7,923 renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. REAP enables agricultural producers and rural small business owners to expand their use of wind, solar, geothermal and small hydropower energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses and address climate change while lowering energy costs for American families.
In Tennessee:
- Goodner Farms, a poultry farming operation in Athens, Tennessee, will use a $151,200 grant to install a 110-kilowatt (kW) ground-mounted solar system with battery storage. The project annually will save the business $21,074 and generate 162,109 kilowatt hours (kWh), enough energy to power 13 homes.
- SSM Industries Inc. will use a $984,399 grant to develop a renewable energy system improvement for its operation. SSM Industries Inc., a safety and protective fabric manufacturer, will use funds to purchase and install a 700kW rooftop mounted solar array. This project will save $57,248 per year and will replace 817,839kWh annually, which is enough electricity to power 77 homes.
The awards will benefit people in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
USDA continues to accept REAP applications and has set aside a portion of the program funds to support underutilized renewable energy technologies, like wind and geothermal power. For additional information, contact a local energy coordinator.
A complete list of all REAP projects is available online.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. REAP is a part of the President’s Justice40 Initiative which sets a goal that 40% of the benefits from certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. USDA Rural Development 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. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery Subscriber Page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under 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. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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