SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 24, 2024 – USDA Rural Development Utah State Director Michele Weaver today announced that USDA is investing more than $350,000 in three renewable energy projects in San Juan and Davis counties. These investments, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, will help small business owners install solar arrays to lower their energy costs.
“Utah’s rural business owners are more than supporters of the rural economy – they are often the people who sponsor community events, keep main streets unique, and create necessary jobs,” Weaver said. “The three businesses we’re investing in today are harnessing renewable energy technologies to reduce their operating costs over time and can invest those saved dollars back into their communities.”
William W. Simpson Enterprises Inc. in San Juan County will use a $235,374 grant to purchase and install a 87.2 kilowatt hour (kW) photovoltaic solar array for Twin Rocks Café in Bluff. This system will be connected to a battery backup energy storage system to prevent power loss and is expected to realize $13,769 per year in savings, replacing 99 percent of the company’s annual energy use.
Arch Canyon LLC dba Blue Mountain Trading Post, also in San Juan County, will use a $39,999 grant to help purchase and install a 24.82 kilowatt (kW) solar array. It is anticipated this project will realize $4,004 per year in savings and will replace 96 percent of the company’s annual energy use.
Perennial Favorites LC, a plant nursery in Davis County, will use a $79,846 grant to purchase and install a 64 kilowatt (kW) solar array. This project is expected to save $8,422 per year and replace 84 percent of the company’s energy use, per year.
The investments announced today are included in a national announcement made by USDA Secretary Vilsack at the 105th annual American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Secretary Vilsack announced the Department is awarding $157 million in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) awards for 675 projects in 42 states.
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) 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 for American families.
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 http://www.rd.usda.gov/ut.