Farms, Breweries, and Other Small Businesses in Nine Counties to Install Solar Panels
Bangor, Jan. 10, 2025 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Rhiannon Hampson today announced that USDA is awarding sixteen grants and one loan to help increase access to solar energy in Maine. Businesses in nine counties (Cumberland, Hancock, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, and York) will receive grants to cover up to half the cost of projects to install on-site solar panels. Rural Development will also provide a loan of $5.025M to Alna Community Solar. The grants and loan come through the agency’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
“USDA’s REAP grants help Maine small businesses and agricultural producers to be a part of the climate solution,” said Director Hampson. “When we reinvest federal dollars right here in Maine, we demonstrate how our government truly partners with each one of us. Helping to make these projects affordable for small businesses ultimately benefits everyone using our shared electric grid, homeowners and businesses alike.”
Nationwide, USDA announced funding for 586 projects today to expand access to clean energy systems and increase the availability of domestic biofuels. When announcing the awards, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “By expanding access to homegrown biofuels and clean energy systems, we are making long-lasting investments that will strengthen our energy independence, address the impacts of climate change and create new market opportunities and revenue streams for American producers while bringing good-paying jobs to rural communities.”
Each farm and business will cover at least half of the total cost for their projects. REAP grants help make a range of clean energy and energy efficiency projects more affordable. Examples of projects across Maine include:
- Hall Brook Farm, an organic farm in Thorndike, will use a $64K grant towards the installation of a 50-kilowatt roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. The system is expected to save $11,324 in annual energy costs.
- Monhegan Brewing Company on Monhegan Island will use a $21K grant towards the installation of an 8.2-kilowatt roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system with battery storage. The system is expected to save the business $6,754 in annual energy costs.
- PKS Woodworks LLC, a third-generation woodworking company located in South Berwick, Maine, will use a $75K grant towards the installation of a 52.8-kilowatt roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. The system is expected to save $10,479 in annual energy costs.
The full list of grants in Maine announced today is available at this link: https://tinyurl.com/3en7e7wf .
Over the last four fiscal years, Rural Development has awarded $18M in competitive REAP grants to 221 farms and rural small businesses in Maine. A significant portion of the funding came through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which enabled Rural Development to fund up to half the cost of eligible clean energy projects. To date, USDA has invested more than $14M from the IRA in 171 REAP grants in Maine. In that same period, the agency has provided $192M in loans and loan guarantees for large-scale clean energy projects in the state.
Pheonix and Megan O'Brien of Hall Brook Farm will be part of a farmer panel discussion at the State of Maine Agricultural Trades Show in Augusta on Tuesday, January 14th. The panel will discuss "Making USDA Work for You," and the participating farmers will talk about programs including REAP. There will be other informational sessions and exhibits from USDA throughout the free, three-day show.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery subscriber page.
###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.