Agency Funds Twenty-one Projects in Ten Counties
BANGOR, Maine, October 18, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Maine State Director Rhiannon Hampson today announced that the agency is partnering with farmers and small business owners to expand access to clean energy, create jobs and help lower their energy bills through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The funding announced includes twenty-one grants that will help small businesses and farms across Maine implement cost-saving, clean, efficient energy systems on their properties.
“Rural Development is committed to ensuring farmers, ranchers and small businesses are directly benefitting from the clean energy economy,” said Director Hampson. “We know rural businesses often have lean margins. These grants not only put clean energy within their reach but help them save money on their energy bills for years to come. These small-scale projects mostly will be on the rooftops and in the backyards of businesses around the state, helping to ensure our small-town economies stay vibrant and that our power grid can supply the energy we all need.”
In Harrisburg, PA today, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced 654 REAP grants nationwide, the majority of which were made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis. Secretary Vilsack also announced the availability of an additional $600 million in REAP funds that farmers and small businesses can apply for across three funding rounds from now until 2027.
The investments announced today will help make it possible for 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 will help them increase their income, grow their businesses and address climate change while lowering energy costs for American families.
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:
- In Waltham, a $75,000 grant will help Elliott Jordan and Son Inc., a small construction company, install a new 39.3-kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. The new system is expected to save the business $7,293 per year in electrical costs.
- In Richmond, TMDE Calibration Labs Inc., a leading calibration service provider, will use a $20,000 grant to help install two new battery storage backup systems to retrofit its current solar array.
- In Corinth, Thomas Farms, a second-generation vegetable farm, will use a $19,700 grant to implement multiple energy efficiency improvements. The project will include installing roof insulation, LED Lighting systems, a Mitsubishi heat pump, and a ventilation system. The project is expected to save the farm $4,654 in annual energy costs.
These awards are made possible by President Biden’s historic Inflation Reduction Act and will be the final REAP funding available from this legislative package. Updates regarding the REAP program in Maine may be found online (under “Highlights”) at this link: www.rd.usda.gov/me. The next deadlines to apply are Dec. 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
Click here for the full list of Maine awards.
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