RALEIGH, North Carolina- Aug. 30, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is awarding $25 million in loans and grants to agriculture producers and rural small businesses to make investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will lower their energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resilience of their operation.
In North Carolina USDA is investing $25 million in 10 renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects. The Department is awarding the loans and grants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), including funding from the landmark Inflation Reduction Act.
“All of the North Carolina investments announced today are part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest single investment in rural electrification since the Rural Electrification Act of 1936,” said North Carolina Rural Development State Director Reginald Speight. “The Biden/Harris Administration and Rural Development are powering people with modern, renewable energy infrastructure that creates good-paying jobs and supports opportunities for people to drive economic prosperity and security.”
Since December 2022, USDA has made up to $1.3 billion available in REAP funding through the Inflation Reduction Act. Eligible applicants include rural small business owners and agricultural producers. The program is part of the Justice40 Initiative, which is working to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of certain federal investments reach communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.
“Creating opportunity for rural communities means investing in farmers, ranchers, and small businesses,” Secretary Vilsack said. “A key pillar of Bidenomics, President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is ensuring our producers and business owners are not only a part of the clean energy economy but are directly benefitting from it. These once-in-a-generation investments in renewable energy, like wind and solar, and energy efficient technologies create new markets and deliver real cost savings for our small and mid-sized agricultural operations and Main Street businesses, building and keeping wealth in rural America.”
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In North Carolina:
- Carolina Poultry Power RG2, LLC will use a $250 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install a poultry litter waste to energy biomass facility. The system is estimated to produce 184 million kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power 16 thousand homes.
- Carolina Poultry Power RG3, LLC will use a $25 million Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Loan to construct a poultry litter biomass power plant capable of generating 1.5 megawatts gross electrical power of thermal energy. The plant will be located adjacent to the town of La Grange's Wastewater Treatment Plant that will provide poultry litter-derived electrical and thermal energy for the wastewater treatment plant. CPP-La Grange will generate renewable energy certificates, which will be sold to North Carolina utilities to assist the utilities in meeting the obligations set forth under the North Carolina Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard.
- Gordon Jenkins/Ten Mothers Farm will use a $11 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install a 9.6-kilowatt solar array on the business operation of Gordon Jenkins, doing business as Ten Mothers Farm. This project will generate 12 thousand kilowatt hours per year and realize $1 thousand of saving per year.
- Meredith Leight will use a $14 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install a greenhouse geothermal system. This project will generate 26-thousand kilowatt hours per year and realize $2 thousand of saving per year.
- North Carolina State University will use a $99 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to conduct approximately 26 renewable energy site assessments for rural small businesses and agricultural producers. These assessments will provide analysis to install renewable energy systems to these operations.
- Roanoke EMC will use a $100 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to conduct approximately 100 energy audits for rural small businesses and agricultural producers throughout seven northeast counties in the state of North Carolina. These audits will provide analysis to make energy-efficiency improvements to these operations.
- Ryan Kirby Art & Illustration, LLC will use a $28 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install a 17.16-kilowatt solar array. This project will generate 22 thousand kilowatt hours per year and realize $2,246 of saving per year.
- Starrlight Mead, LLC will use a $13 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install a 9.78-kilowatt solar array. This project will generate 16,131 kilowatt hours per year and realize $1 thousand of saving per year.
- Sungold Farm LLC will use a $19 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install a 9.1-kilowatt solar array. This project will generate 12 thousand kilowatt hours per year and realize $1 thousand of saving.
- Thomas G. Denza/Harbinger Wood Floor will use a $20 thousand Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to purchase and install an 8.8-kilowatt solar array. This project will generate 12-thousand kilowatt hours per year and realize $1 thousand of saving per year.
The funding announced today is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, to grow the American economy from the middle-out and bottom up – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $500 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good-paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.
USDA is making awards in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Guam and Puerto Rico.
The Department expects to make additional awards in the coming months.
USDA continues to accept applications and will hold funding competitions quarterly through Sept. 30, 2024. The funding includes $144.5 million for underutilized renewable energy technologies. For additional information on application deadlines and submission details, see page 19239 of the March 31 Federal Register.
Background: Inflation Reduction Act
As a core pillar of Bidenomics and the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Inflation Reduction Act makes the largest investment in climate action in history and is lowering energy costs, bringing opportunity to communities across America and tackling the climate crisis through investments in agriculture, forest restoration, and rural communities.
The Biden-Harris Administration championed the Inflation Reduction Act to help provide new funding and unprecedented incentives to expand clean energy, transform rural power production, create jobs and spur economic growth. It is the largest single investment in rural electrification since the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
Through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Administration is delivering on its promise to fight climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across America.
It provides funding to USDA Rural Development to help eligible organizations invest in renewable energy infrastructure and zero-emission systems and make energy-efficiency improvements that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It will boost the long-term resiliency, reliability and affordability of rural electric systems. It will help families save money on utility bills, and it will expand rural opportunities in the clean-energy economy.
For more information on the Inflation Reduction Act, visit: https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact the nearest USDA Rural Development state office.
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. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit GovDelivery subscriber page.
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