OLYMPIA, April 23, 2024 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Helen Price Johnson announced that USDA is helping to lower energy costs for Washington State farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers and rural small businesses by investing over $2.3 million in 18 renewable energy projects.
The projects announced are being funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis, through USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
“These grants represent a significant investment in rural communities across Washington state," said Price Johnson. "These projects create jobs, help small businesses reduce overhead costs, and build energy resilience. This is good for their bottom line, the planet and for the rural people we serve.”
Through the REAP program, USDA provides grants and loans to help ag producers and rural small business owners expand their use of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses, address climate change and lower energy costs.
Price Johnson noted that these REAP grants support projects in 13 Washington State counties, including Adams, Douglas, Ferry, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, San Juan, Skagit, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, and Yakima. The projects awarded in Washington are:
- VI Retail Inc. dba Vashon Market Fresh, a locally owned grocery store located on Vashon Island, King County, will receive a $706,860 grant to purchase and install a 370,035-kilowatt hours (kWh) solar array for their grocery store operation. This project will realize $69,872 per year in savings and will replace 537,000 kWh (69 percent energy savings) per year, which is enough to power 34 homes.
- Holcomb's Inc. dba Holcomb's Market, a family-owned grocery store in rural Klickitat County, received a $491,350 grant to make energy efficient upgrades to their operations. Project funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a new refrigeration system rack and upgrading the refrigerated cases to ones with doors. The project will result in about $8,000 per year in savings and save approximately 135,000 kilowatts (kW) (30 percent energy savings).
- Pacific Rim Tonewoods Inc., a rural small business in Skagit County, received a $411,735 grant to help purchase and install a 395 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This will result in about $41,505 per year in savings and will replace or generate approximately 377,582 kilowatt hours (kWh) (60 percent energy savings) per year, enough energy to power 20 homes.
- 3 Bar G Ranch Inc., an existing business in rural Kittitas County, received a $114,375 grant to help purchase and install a 108.24 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This will realize $16,023 per year in savings and will replace 96 percent energy savings per year, enough to power 13.59 homes.
- Burkeridge Farm LLC, a hay farm and equestrian boarding facility in Kittitas County, received a $98,842 grant to purchase and install a 94.3 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will result in about $7508 per year in savings and will replace or generate approximately 112,894 kilowatt hours (kWh) (100 percent energy savings) per year, which is enough to power 10 homes.
- Dewald Farms JV, a fifth-generation wheat farmer in Kittitas County, received a $92,800 grant to purchase and install a 64 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will result in about $3,100 per year in savings and will replace or generate approximately 70,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) (150 percent energy savings) per year, which is enough to power 70 homes.
- Baird Orchards LLC, located in rural Adams County, received a $90,981 grant to make energy efficient upgrades to their operations. Project funds will be used for the purchase and installation of replacing two propane powered wind machines to electric and diesel powered 4x4 to an electric powered drone device. This project will realize $1,983 per year in savings and will replace 15,107 kilowatt hours (kWh) (81 percent energy savings) per year, enough to power one home.
- Fat-Cat Fish LLC, a pet food manufacturer in rural Whatcom County, received a $49,841 grant to purchase and install a 60.5 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will realize $8,700 per year in savings and will replace 65,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) (3 percent energy savings) per year, enough to power six homes.
- GMC Joint Ventures dba Rolinco Farm, located in rural Lincoln County, received a $40,000 grant to purchase and install a 22.4 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will generate $1,998 per year in savings and 28,548 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough to power 2.66 homes.
- Kettle Ranch LLC, a Lessor of Nonresidential Buildings in Ferry County, received a $40,000 grant to purchase and install a 22.27 kilowatt (kW) solar array. The project will result in about $3,800 per year in savings and will replace approximately 26,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) (49 percent energy savings) per year, enough to power three homes.
- Oestreich Farms JV, located in rural Lincoln County, received a $37,500 grant to purchase and install a 25.9 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will result in about $1,260 per year in savings and will replace approximately 18,532 kilowatt hours (kWh) (140 percent energy savings) per year, enough to power two homes.
- Tanjuli Inc., an existing business located in rural Yakima County, received a $28,582 grant to purchase and install a 13.30 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will replace 20,160 kilowatt hours (kWh), which is 103 percent of their energy use per year, enough to power one home.
- MTA Ranch LLC, a beef cattle rancher in Kittitas County, received a $26,862 grant to purchase and install a 13.04 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will result in about $1,600 per year in savings and will replace approximately 18,200 kilowatt hours (kWh) (35 percent energy savings) per year, enough to power two homes.
- Glen Ruark, a hay farming operation in Spokane County, received a $25,500 grant to purchase and install a 14 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will result in about $728 per year in savings and will replace or generate approximately 16,021 kilowatt hours (kWh) (100 percent energy savings) per year, enough to power one home.
- The Egg Lady LLC, a chicken egg producer in rural Thurston County, received a $24,575 grant to purchase and install a 15 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project will result in $1,700 per year in savings and will generate 14,000-kilowatt kilowatt hours (kWh) (100 percent energy savings) per year which is enough to power two homes.
- Down Island and Trading Company, an existing business located in rural San Juan County, received a $24,201 Rural Development investment. This will be used to assist a small rural business in purchasing and installing a renewable energy system. Project funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a 25,125-kilowatt hours (kWh) solar array. This project will realize $3,015 per year in savings and will replace 2,748 kWh (90.14 percent energy savings) per year, which is enough to power two homes.
- Four I Ranch LLC, a wheat farmer in Douglas County, received a $20,437 Rural Development investment. This will be used to assist them in making energy efficient upgrades to their operations. Project funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a drone sprayer to replace the use of a tractor-pulled sprayer. The project will result in about $6,000 per year in savings and save approximately 1,880 gallons of diesel (80 percent energy savings). This savings is equal to four gas-powered vehicles driven a year or four homes' electricity use for a year.
- Shuksan Timber Works, an existing business located in rural Whatcom County, received an $18,603 Rural Development investment. This will be used to assist a small rural business in purchasing and installing a renewable energy system. Project funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a 12,730-kilowatt hours (kWh) solar array. This project will realize $1,528 per year in savings and will replace 838 kWh (98.82 percent energy savings) per year, which is enough to power one home.
These awards were a part of an earlier announcement made by Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small in celebration of Earth Day 2024. USDA is funding over 700 clean energy projects totaling over $238 million.
“The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are committed to expanding access to modern clean energy systems that strengthen the nation’s energy independence while creating good-paying jobs and saving people money,” Deputy Secretary Torres Small said. “As we celebrated Earth Day this year, we continue to be excited to partner with more family farms and small businesses to address the impacts of climate change, grow the economy and keep rural communities throughout the country strong and resilient.”
USDA continues to accept REAP applications and will hold funding competitions quarterly through September 30, 2024.
USDA 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. To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wa.