Farmers and rural small businesses are essential to the fabric of Minnesota—its economy, environment and communities. Helping them reduce costs with energy efficiency and take control of their energy expenses with renewable energy is the focus of a new program, Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota, launching this week with support from USDA Rural Development.
There’s demand: “We’re seeing increased demand for information about renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements, and are excited to offer free project assistance to Minnesotans,” shared Fritz Ebinger, Rural Energy Development Program Manager with the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and University of Minnesota Extension.
Project support: For more than ten years, CERTs has been connecting Minnesotans with the resources they need to plan and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy systems. Through this new program, Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota, CERTs will help Minnesota farmers and rural small businesses explore projects that could work for them, identify potential funding and financing options, and get one-on-one assistance on their project.
USDA REAP: In particular, CERTs will be helping farms and businesses apply for USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which offers grants for 25% of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) from USDA Rural Development is a great opportunity for Minnesota farmers and rural businesses to save energy with efficiency work and add renewable energy systems. Applications for renewable energy or energy efficiency grants are due June 30, 2015. Projects requesting grants of $20,000 ($80,000 total project cost) can fill out a shorter application and can also turn in applications for an October 31, 2015 deadline. After that the next deadline for all projects is April 30, 2016. So now is the time to apply! As part of Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota CERTs has created sample applications with helpful notes to help people apply for REAP funding.
PACE: CERTs will also help farms and rural small businesses explore the possibility of PACE financing. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a new way to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to the buildings of commercial property owners and can be a perfect companion to REAP funding in Minnesota. With PACE, energy-saving measures pursued by the owners receive project financing and are repaid as a separate item on their property tax assessment for a set period. PACE eliminates the burden of upfront costs by providing low-cost, long-term financing. In combination, USDA REAP can cover 25% of project costs, and PACE can finance them without the requirement of upfront capital.
Project examples: Part of the program is helping people understand what their peers have done so that they can learn from the experiences of others. Examples of successful projects in other parts of the state include Angvall Hardware in Lester Prairie who installed solar PV with funding from USDA REAP and utility rebates; Blue Line Travel Center in Worthington who installed new LED canopy lighting with funding from USDA REAP and PACE; Colonial Cleaners in Worthington who added efficient dryers with USDA REAP and utility rebates; and the Popp Family Farm in Royalton who installed solar PV and wind using USDA REAP and utility rebates.
Learn more and get started: Interested farmers and small businesses can learn more and get project assistance by visiting the Renewable Energy for Greater Minnesota website at http://mncerts.org/GreatRenewables or by calling Fritz Ebinger at 612-626-1028.
