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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Kentucky to Receive More Than a Half Million Dollars in Rural Energy Grants
FRANKFORT, Ky.– Governor Steve Beshear today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $500,000 in grants to 43 Kentucky farm families and rural small businesses to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in their operations.
“These investments are important to Kentucky’s agriculture and rural economy,” said Gov. Beshear. “They will provide enormous benefit to Kentucky’s farm families and rural small businesses as they face rising energy costs.”
These awards were made through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a 2008 Farm Bill Initiative. REAP offers funds for farmers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. Kentucky’s awards were a part of more than $11.6 million in energy grants announced today by USDA.
Funding of each award is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant agreement. Grants can finance up to 25 percent of a project's cost, not to exceed $500,000 for renewables, and $250,000 for efficiency.
Last month, Gov. Beshear announced the 2011 On-farm Energy Efficiency and Production grants. These grants were made available through a partnership between the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy and Kentucky’s Department for Energy Development and Independence, with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Energy. Twenty-three of the 2011 On-farm Energy award recipients were able to leverage these federal REAP funds, comprising 53 percent of Kentucky’s total REAP awardees.
“In this changing economy, our farm families and rural small business owners know they have to be innovative and resourceful to make sure their businesses grow,” said Gov. Beshear. “Their initiative in applying for these funds shows the dedication of Kentuckians to reduce our energy consumption and increase renewable energy usage.”
The REAP awards and the 2011 ARRA On-farm Energy Efficiency & Production Incentives both help achieve the goals of Gov. Beshear’s Intelligent Energy Choices for Kentucky’s Future: Kentucky’s 7-Point Energy Strategy, and will be part of the effort to meet 18 percent of Kentucky’s energy needs from efficiency improvements by 2025 while tripling renewable energy generation.
For more information about this and other USDA Rural Development Programs, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov.
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