Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced funding for 821 projects across the nation that will help rural small businesses and agricultural producers reduce energy usage and costs in their operations. Twenty Nebraska recipients received nearly $198,000 for energy projects. The funding is available through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and will be used to make energy efficiency improvements and install renewable energy systems.
"Since 2009, the Rural Energy for America Program has helped roughly 15,000 small businesses and farms save enough energy to power about 730,000 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than five million metric tons annually," Vilsack said. "These investments in clean energy are good for the environment, are good for each business's bottom line and they support the broader rural economy by encouraging the production of renewable energy sources."
USDA is providing $43.2 million in loan guarantees and $11.6 million in grants through REAP for projects in every state, as well as in the Virgin Islands, the Western Pacific and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.
The Nebraska recipients by county are:
Antelope
Bartak, Paul Gregory-$10,943-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Bernie Hughes LLC-$7,239-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Erhardt, Lyle-$4,631-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Schindler Grain & Livestock LLC-$6,726-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Wilkinson, Sharon-$6,150-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Cedar
Hansen Hog Haven, Inc.-$16,915-LED lighting replacement
REPS Fitness, LLC-$4,676-Replace front door, windows, lighting
Franklin
Pitstop & Shop, Inc.-$3,884-Lighting replacement
Holt
Barlow, Keith-$4,049-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Olson Industries, Inc.-$7,460-LED lighting replacement
Rocking Diamond A Ranch, LLC-$3,115-Diesel to electric irrigation motor conversion
Lancaster
Bevans, William B.-$14,446-Waste heat recovery systems
Nemaha
Bender, Merlyn-$8,209-Waste heat recovery system
Perkins
Osler Heritage, LLC-$10,114-Natural gas to electric motor and pump
Sioux
Hamaker, Lorie Lea-$3,257-Replace windmills with solar and submersible pumps
Valley
Jade Wolfgang dba Wolfgang Grocery & Spirits-$10,651-Replace coolers; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; lighting
York
Goertzen, John S.-$20,000-Grain dryer replacement
Harmony Nursery & Daylily Farm, Inc.-$17,794-25 kW solar array
KLD, Inc.-$9,030-Grain dryer replacement
In Dawes County, a guaranteed loan was made to Blaine Rentals of Chadron in the amount of $28,425 to replace a boiler and chiller.
The Rural Energy for America Program also helps businesses create jobs, helps farmers and rural businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and helps the country move closer to energy independence. For information on the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) in Nebraska contact Energy Coordinator Jeff Carpenter, 402.437.5554 or jeff.carpenter@ne.usda.gov.
Helping thousands of rural small businesses, farmers and ranchers shift away from fossil-based energy by installing renewable energy systems and energy efficiency solutions has been one of the most important components of USDA's climate mitigation investments. Thanks to USDA investments in renewable energy projects of all sizes, rural Americans are saving more than 10.4 billion kWh— enough energy to power more than 959,000 American homes annually.
USDA has invested $38 billion in electric loans and more than $1 billion for smart grid technologies since 2009, helping build more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving approximately 5 million rural customers annually. Today, more than 2,200 USDA wind and solar renewable electricity generation projects power more than 130,000 homes. More information on these energy investments can be found in USDA's entry on Medium, “How Food and Forestry Are Adapting to a Changing Climate ."