MONTGOMERY, Ala., August 24, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Alabama State Director Nivory Gordon today announced USDA is investing $100,000 to fund projects which will reduce energy consumption in rural Alabama.
“By helping to fund projects like this one in rural Alabama, USDA Rural Development is helping rural Alabamians to lessen the impact on the environment, become more energy efficient, and to help rural Alabamians invest in renewable energy resources,” said Gordon. “These investments will not only help us to meet our current energy needs, but these investments will also help to meet our energy needs in Alabama for years and generations to come.”
Background:
USDA is investing $100,000 in grants to the University of Alabama under the Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grants program. Participants under this program assist rural small businesses and agricultural producers by conducting and promoting energy audits and providing renewable energy development assistance. Assistance available to agricultural producers and rural small businesses includes energy audits, renewable energy technical assistance, and renewable energy site assessments.
Through this investment, the University of Alabama will help farmers and rural small businesses statewide in developing renewable energy system improvements to their operations. The University will use this investment to conduct approximately 26 renewable energy site assessments or renewable energy technical assistance projects for rural small businesses and agricultural producers across Alabama.
In other parts of the country, USDA is investing $121 million through 415 investments that USDA is making through three programs specifically designed to help people and businesses in rural areas. These programs are Community Facilities Disaster Grants, Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants, and Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grants.
The investments will help state and local government entities, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Tribes construct, renovate or purchase and install equipment for essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. They also will help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems as well as make energy efficiency improvements. The investments will also help with energy audits, renewable energy technical assistance, and renewable energy site assessments. Some examples include:
- Rogers Orchards, Inc., an 8th generation family farm in Southington, Connecticut, will use an $11,221 Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Grant to install LED lighting. This project will realize $12,196 per year in savings and will replace 63,425 kWh (19 percent) per year, which is enough electricity to power five homes for one year
- BBB Supermarket LLC in Albany, Louisiana, will use a $20,000 Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Grant to install a cool roof-coating. This project is expected to save $25,205 per year. It will replace 147,744 kilowatt hours (kWh) (12 percent of the company's energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 14 homes for one year.
- The Community College System of New Hampshire will use a $91,304 Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grant to continue a successful renewable energy development assistance program called "NH Rural Renewables." The program emphasizes solar photovoltaic, wood thermal energy, and energy efficiency technologies. Forty-four rural small businesses and agricultural producers throughout New Hampshire will benefit from the program.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, 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. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate, smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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