In Ohio, two poultry farmers and a furniture business received USDA funding through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to invest in renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Matthew Miller, a poultry farmer from Sugarcreek, was awarded a $58,000 grant to purchase and install a 41-kilowatt solar array for his operation. This solar array is expected to generate more than 48,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, covering 120 percent of his business’ total annual energy consumption.
Weaver Group, also located in Sugarcreek, received a $663,000 grant to purchase and install a 619-kilowatt roof mounted solar array for their barn and furniture building business. This solar array is projected to save the business nearly $90,000 in annual energy costs and generate 642,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, meeting 100 percent of its annual energy consumption.
The USDA awarded over $22.9 million in REAP grants to 168 rural small businesses in Ohio during the last fiscal year. These grants allow businesses to invest in renewable energy or energy efficient systems, ultimately helping them save on energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint.
