Lukan’s Farm Resort will generate enough energy to power 15 homes through the Rural Energy for America Program, which helps small businesses and farms invest in renewable energy. Lukan’s Farm is expected to save around $23,600 per year by switching to solar.

Luan’s is family-owned, and John Hochreither, the resort’s president, hopes the grant will grow the business. The farm passed through three generations, starting with Hochreither's grandparents. Hochreither now runs Lukan’s alongside his brother, and he said the two juggle lots of jobs.

“I do most of the cooking, I do all of the bookkeeping and a lot of the reservations,” said Hochreither. “And my brother has a lot of hats as well, [like] maintenance and lawn landscaping.”

Hochreither’s grandparents opened the business in 1951. He is excited to start this new venture, which he anticipates will help the surrounding community. The panels will cover one motel building roof, and he said it could make more electricity than the farm needs.

“The system has yet to be tested and proven, but it was engineered to produce slightly above what we use. And if it works out as well as [we think it will,] y’know, we’ve had talks that we’d potentially move forward with producing even more solar,” said Hochreither.

Alois and Olga Lukan were Slovenian immigrants who purchased the property in 1951. Hochreither is their grandson. His parents, the second owners of the resort, sat in the back of the dining room during the announcement.

Lukan's is expected to save almost $24,000 dollars a year. The resort is also a working farm and apiary that relies solely on electric energy.

Lukan's worked with SEEDS of Northeastern PA to secure the $123,000 grant for the project.

"Energy costs are always on the rise. And we're trying to be forward thinking and move towards green energy," said president and co-owner John Hochreither. "And hopefully eliminate electric bills."

The resort in Wayne County is one of nine organizations that received funding through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Energy for America (REAP) program. The projects include several industries and total $695,505; 75% were funded through the Inflation Reduction Act.