Over $93,000 Invested in Rural Wyoming Communities to Lower Energy Costs
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Department is investing over $93,000 to build or improve renewable energy infrastructure and to help rural communities, agricultural producers and businesses lower energy costs in Wyoming.
“USDA continues to prioritize climate-smart infrastructure to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before,” Vilsack said. “We recognize that lowering energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers helps to expand economic development and employment opportunities for people in America’s rural towns and communities. The investments we are announcing today demonstrate how the Biden-Harris Administration has put rural communities at the heart of climate action and climate-smart solutions.”
Nationwide, USDA is financing $129 million of these investments through the Rural Energy for America Program. This program provides funding to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. These climate-smart investments will conserve and generate more than 379 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in rural America, which equates to enough electricity to power 35,677 homes per year.
In Wyoming, USDA is investing in the following projects:
- Avvid Corporation in Laramie will use a $7,244 grant to purchase an energy-efficient air compressor which will save the company an estimated $5,200 per year.
- Guerin Enterprises Inc in Laramie will use $27,493 in grants to install a 16.4 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic solar system at Coal Creek Coffee Company, estimated to save the company $2,785 per year. Guerin Enterprises Inc will also install an energy efficient kitchen ventilation system, saving Coal Creek Coffee Company an additional $485 annually.
- Jay Richardson dba Jay’s Detail in Worland will use a $11,364 grant to install a 16.8 kW grid-tied solar array, allowing the company to save $2,988 per year.
- L&M Restoration will use a $19,136 grant to install a 24.8 kW solar array on the historic Mead Building in downtown Greybull. The building is currently undergoing a restoration and will house a hotel and retail space for local businesses. The solar array will bring $2,946 in energy cost savings annually.
- Margo’s Pottery in Buffalo will use a $2,975 grant to install a six kW solar array on the rooftop of its building, offsetting 103 percent of its power needs and saving $678 in yearly energy costs.
- Ryan Lembke will use a $18,827 grant to install a 22.9 kW solar array on the Lembke Ranch in Lovell to power irrigation and operations. The ranch will realize a savings of $3,345 annually.
- Wildman Farm’s Incorporated in Manderson will use a $5,885 grant to install a 7.82 kW grid-tied roof mount solar array, saving the family agricultural operation $1,243 annually.
The department is announcing investments today in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
To learn more about these and other resources for rural areas, contact the USDA Rural Development state office in Casper.
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/wy. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.