U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, underscored the significance of Clean Energy Infrastructure Investments for Rural America. He stated that these investments would decrease energy costs, stimulate income generation, and facilitate job creation in rural communities.
In a press release by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it was reported that Vilsack visited a family-owned store in Minnesota that had reaped benefits from the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP is an initiative designed to assist agricultural producers and small businesses in rural communities with accessing renewable energy and implementing energy-efficient upgrades. The USDA has invested over $1.6 billion through REAP, supporting more than 5,457 projects nationwide.
The same press release disclosed that Minnesota received over $53.8 million in investments through REAP, making it the highest funded state under this program. The Inflation Reduction Act has made an additional $1.4 billion available for funding through REAP from 2022 to 2024 to meet the growing demand for applications to the program. Beneficiaries of this program have installed solar arrays and wind turbines on farms, resulting in significant annual energy cost savings for local businesses. For instance, Miller's Market in St. Charles received a $64,000 grant to install a 50-kilowatt solar array expected to replace 102,500 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, accounting for 12.6% of the store's yearly energy consumption. Another award recipient was an Ace Hardware Store in St. Charles which got a $52,000 grant to install a 39-kilowatt solar array projected to replace 78,850 kilowatt hours of electricity each year.
"Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, producers and rural communities have more opportunities to participate in the clean energy economy than ever before," said Vilsack. "Minnesota communities have taken full advantage of these opportunities, leading to lower energy costs for business owners, savings and more income for producers, and vibrant Main Streets."
