USDA Invests in Critical Infrastructure to Combat Kansas Climate Change

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Kansas Christy Davis today announced USDA is investing $479,553 in critical infrastructure to combat climate change and expand access to clean energy for people across rural Kansas.

“Rural Kansans are on the front lines of climate change,” Davis said. “USDA Rural Development is expanding access to renewable energy infrastructure, creating good jobs and saving people money on their energy costs.”

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) helps farmers and rural businesses and entrepreneurs purchase and install renewable energy systems and make improvements to energy efficiency. It reflects the many ways USDA Rural Development helps agricultural producers and rural small businesses lower energy costs.

The details for the 11 Kansas investments are:

• A $66,620 grant will help Sabetha dairy operator Anita Rokey purchase and install a 129-kilowatt (kW) ground mounted solar array. The project will save an estimated 194,147 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough energy to power nineteen homes. Anita Rokey currently has three full-time employees and six part-time employees.
• A $5,519 grant will help Peabody-based agriculture operation Merlen Corporation purchase and install a 12.5-kilowatt (kW) roof mounted solar array. The project is estimated to generate 13,745 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough energy to power one home. Merlen Corporation currently has one employee.
• A $9,340 grant will help F2F Butcher and Processing LLC of Garden Plain purchase and install a 7-kilowatt (kW) roof mounted solar array. The project is estimated to generate 10,481 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. This is enough energy to power one home. F2F Butcher and Processing currently has one employee.
• A $49,698 grant will help Galena-based grain farmer John Hutto purchase and install a new grain dryer. The project is estimated to save 20,339 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. This equates to 16.63 percent of their energy usage and is enough energy to power one home. John Hutto currently has twelve fulltime, part-time and seasonal employees.
• A $49,975 grant will help purchase and install two 15-kilowatt (kW) wind turbines at Mid America Pipe Fabricating and Supply Co. Inc., of Scammon. The turbines are expected to produce 86,410 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, 25.8 percent of their energy usage and enough to power seven homes for a year. Mid America Pipe Fabricating and Supply currently has 140 employees.
• A $42,318 grant will help purchase and install a 102.34 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic solar system at Meade Thriftway grocery store in Meade. This project is estimated to save $17,188 in annual energy costs and will generate 157,195 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, 28 percent of their annual usage, enough to power 14 homes.
• A $9,808 grant will help purchase and install new refrigeration equipment at Norwich Fresh Market. The project is estimated to save 39,292 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, equating to 29.61 percent of their energy usage which is enough energy to power three homes. Norwich Fresh Market currently has six employees.
• A $16,679 grant will be used to help purchase and install a 15-kilowatt (kW) wind turbine at Verdell Young & Son, an agricultural producer in Greeley County. This project is estimated to realize $4,219 savings and will generate 39,685 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough to power more than three homes.
• A $37,463 grant will help purchase and install a 54.75-kilowatt (kW) rooftop photovoltaic solar system at Deer Ridge Estate LLC, an existing event center in Tonganoxie. This project is estimated to realize $4,437 in savings per year and will generate 82,443 kilowatt hours (kWh), enough to power more than seven homes. Deer Ridge Estate currently has one employee.
• A $121,410 grant will help Shawnee, Kansas based Olympic Car Wash of Shawnee Inc. install nine 23.5 kilowatt (kW) solar arrays at its grain farm in Wheeler County, Nebraska. This project is expected to generate $17,686.19 per year. It will generate 317,241 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough energy to power 29 homes.
• A $70,323 grant will help Shawnee, Kansas based Olympic Car Wash of Shawnee Inc. install nine more energy-efficient electric irrigation motors at its business in Wheeler County, Nebraska. The new system is expected to save the company $63,029.19 in electrical costs per year. The improvements are projected to replace 1,143,707-kilowatt hours (kWh) 75.36 percent of the company's energy use per year, which is enough energy to power 105 homes.

USDA also announced today that it will make $300 million available under the Rural Energy for America Program to expand renewable energy and support energy-efficiency projects for people living in rural America. This funding includes $250 million through the Inflation Reduction Act. The deadline to apply for grants is March 31, 2023. Applications for technical assistance grants are due Jan. 31, 2023. Applications for loan guarantees are accepted year-round.