August 07, 2024

Merkley and Wyden Announce Over $5 Million to Realize New Renewable Energy Projects in Oregon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sending a total of $2,182,023 in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants, and $3,176,875 in a REAP loan, to support renewable energy projects in the state.

The investments—much like the $4.5 million for other REAP projects the Senators announced in April—will help farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses adopt renewable energy technologies, conduct critical energy audits, and cut costs and carbon pollution with energy efficiency improvements. These projects will strengthen the resiliency of their operations and generate new income, especially boosting rural Oregon.

“Oregon’s small farms, ranches, and businesses know that leaning into renewable energy sources can help them significantly lower their energy costs, increase profits, and make them more sustainable over the long run,” said Merkley, who prioritized REAP funding when he previously served as the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that writes the agriculture funding bill. “Unfortunately, the upfront costs of making that switch often leave rural businesses stuck with outdated energy infrastructure and higher monthly bills. This federal funding from REAP is critical to help rural Oregon businesses overcome financial hurdles and realize energy-efficient projects that are good for both their pocketbook and the planet.” 

“Lowering costs in rural Oregon through clean energy equals good news for families, small business owners, farmers and ranchers working hard throughout our state to make ends meet,” Wyden said. “I am gratified these federal investments are coming to help small-town Oregonians make the transition to fresh energy options that improve their bottom line and make their communities even better places to live and work.”

“When Oregon’s farmers have access to renewable, sustainable energy, rural communities thrive,” said Margi Hoffmann, USDA Rural Development State Director for Oregon. “These projects won’t just save farmers and ranchers thousands per year. They’ll also create jobs, boost local economies, and promote energy independence and disaster resilience.”

Since launching in 2008, the REAP program has proved essential to rural America by providing grants and loans to help agricultural producers and rural small business owners expand their use of wind, solar, and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses, address climate chaos, and lower energy costs.

The REAP investments coming to Oregon in this new wave of grants are as follows:

  • $764,488 to assist Hostetler Farms, LLC in Salem purchase and install a 922.2- kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) on top of two existing buildings. The solar array will replace 83 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $115,400 per year.
  • $438,467 for Jackson Family Wines to purchase and install a 232.8-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of their building at Gran Moraine Winery in Yamhill, in addition to a ground-mounted solar direct current system. The solar array will replace 89 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $37,037 per year.
  • $336,783 to help small business 1891 Maupin Rd, LLC purchase and install a 195-kW ground-mounted solar PV on their Maupin property that they will be leasing as farm land. The solar array will reduce their utility bill by $15,941 per year.
  • $167,407 to help ASC LLC #1 purchase and install a 150-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of the Ashland Electric Services Building, which is owned by the City of Ashland. The 25-year lease will give ASC #1 LLC control of the site project. The system will generate 230,536 kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable electricity per year, which is enough to power 13 typical U.S. homes.
  • $99,567 to assist Sauvie Island Kennels purchase and install a 75.9-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of their building. The solar array will replace 66 percent of the business energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $18,447 per year.
  • $92,271 to help assist JGW Ranch LLC in Bend purchase and install a 69.6-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of their horse arena. The solar array will replace 100 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $8,399 per year.
  • $51,912 for Chris James Cellars to purchase and install a 38-kW roof-mounted solar PV system on the roof of a metal storage building and adjacent ground mount at Old Wagon Road Vineyard in Carlton. The solar array will replace 100 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $5,696 per year.
  • $37,541 to assist Sea Level Bakery and Coffee LLC in Cannon Beach purchase and install a 10-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of their building. The solar array will replace 70 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $1,660 per year.
  • $37,058 to assist Rocky Knoll LLC purchase and install a 25.28-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of their building in Medford. The solar array will replace 93 percent of the business energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $3,493 per year.
  • $34,102 for Oak Island Farm LLC, a small farm in Portland, to purchase and install a 25-kW roof-mounted solar PV system on top of their building. The solar array will replace 60 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $4,968 per year.
  • $26,154 to help Duncan Livestock, an agricultural producer in Chiloquin, farm with energy efficiency improvements that will save water and energy. The project will save them $5,101 in energy costs per year.
  • $20,000 to help a small farm in Salem purchase and install a 14.4-kW roof-mounted solar PV on top of the roof of its office building. The solar array will replace 100 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $2,017 per year.
  • $20,000 for Groundswell Farm LLC, small farm in the rural town of Langlois, to undergo a battery retrofit project that will help the business build resiliency throughout the year. The retrofit will be added to its solar system to develop a system that can keep farm refrigeration and irrigation running, especially in the summer and winter months, when power loss is more frequent.
  • $18,177 to help a small farm in La Grande purchase and install an energy efficient heat pump to replace the farm's diesel pump. The system will save 148,603,266 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of electricity per year, which is enough to power two typical U.S. homes. The heat pump will reduce the farm's utility bill by $5,380 per year.
  • $18,018 for Fred Gebhart Writing & Photography to purchase and install a 5.6-kW roof-mounted solar PV system on top of their office building in Gold Hill. The solar array will replace 100 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $578 per year.
  • $10,569 to help Pitchfork & Crow LLC, a small farm in Lebanon, purchase and install a 11.9-kilowatt roof-mounted solar PV on top of their barn. The solar array will replace 55 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $1,540 per year.
  • $9,509 for Hennigan Farm LLC to purchase and install a 17.75-kW roof-mounted solar PV system on top of its shop roof in Salem. The solar array will replace 100 percent of the business's energy use with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $1,352 per year.

Additionally, USDA Rural Development approved a REAP loan guarantee of $3,176,875 to assist New York-based Zena Solar LLC purchase and install a 3.5 megawatt (MW) community solar array on 12 acres of leased land in Salem. The project will participate in Oregon’s Community Solar Program that will be connected through Portland General Electric (PGE). This will be a community solar facility that will sell all power through individual subscription agreements. The solar arrays will produce 4,804,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, which is enough to power 261 typical U.S. homes.

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