
Pelican Athletic Club Enhances Energy Efficiency with USDA Rural Development Grants
The Pelican Athletic Club greeted and welcomed USDA Rural Development staff to their premier fitness and wellness center in Mandeville, Louisiana, to show off their new energy efficiency upgrades. The club was awarded two grants totaling $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)to install a state-of-the-art 295-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system, LED lighting, and a 'cool roof' (heat-reflective) coating as part of its energy-efficient improvement initiative.
The Next Solar Technology Inc., which develops large-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, was hired to install the new equipment at the Pelican Club. "In 2016, only 10-20% of our clients had USDA funding for energy efficiency; now, almost 95% of them have USDA funding. The work USDA is doing with grants and the loan guarantee program is needed in this industry," said The Next Solar Energy Technology Inc.'s CEO, Roger Timoteo.

The Pelican Athletic Club General Manager Alix St. Pé gave a full tour to USDA Rural Business Cooperative Services Administrator Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, Associate Deputy Administrator Dr. James Jordan, Rural Development Chief of Staff Leroy Garcia, Special Advisor Robert Lyons alongside Rural Development Louisiana Business Programs Director Whey McGrew, Community Programs Director Matt Seaton, along with 50 USDA staff from across the country. The Next Solar Energy Technology Inc.'s Vice President of Sales, Eric LeBlanc, General Manager Meghan Selva, and Senior Engineer Guillermo Tirado also joined the tour.

"The money that we are saving through our energy costs, we are reinvesting that back into our club. We just broke ground on four additional pickleball courts, we are expanding the tennis courts and purchasing new equipment for the club's interior," said St. Pé. The tour included stops at the fitness/aerobics, CrossFit and aquatics center, and tennis and pickleball courts.

"These grants from the USDA REAP program highlight our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency for small businesses," said Chaston Price, USDA Louisiana Rural Development State Energy Coordinator. "By supporting projects like Pelican Athletic Club's energy efficiency upgrades, we are fostering a more resilient and environmentally conscious economy."
USDA Rural Development's Business Programs are crucial in promoting renewable energy financing across Louisiana. With two options, Renewable Energy System grants and Energy Efficiency grants, USDA aims to bolster America's energy independence while encouraging private sector investment in energy-saving technologies.