[MINNEAPOLIS, MN] – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced funding awards for 27 farms and small businesses across rural and Greater Minnesota to install clean energy technology on their farms. This round of funding for Minnesota totals nearly $2 million. This initiative is possible through the more than $144 million in grant funding for underutilized renewable technologies through the Renewable Energy for America (REAP) program, which Senator Smith championed and strengthened in the Inflation Reduction Act.
“The clean energy transition is happening, the question is whether we lead or follow. I want us to lead,” said Senator Smith. “But as we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits. That’s one reason programs like REAP, which helps rural communities install renewable energy systems, are so important. These investments will save farms and small businesses across Minnesota thousands of dollars a year in energy costs while helping reduce harmful emissions.”
“I applied and received a grant for my new mixed flow grain dryer,” said John Kapphahn, a farmer from Elbow Lake. “We had an older continuous flow dryer that was about 20 years old that was destroyed by a tornado. The new dryer has cut our operating expense for drying corn by at least 50% with better quality grain.”
“The REAP grant funding helped us to add a rooftop solar array to our dairy farm,” said Alan Abrahamson from Lindstrom. “As a small dairy farm anything we can do to reduce our costs is beneficial. If we can also do it in a way that helps the environment it is a win, win.”
Projects included can be found in the table below.
The funding is specifically set aside for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agriculture currently accounts for roughly one-quarter of Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Senator Smith continues to prioritize improvements to REAP, promote underutilized technologies, and help more farmers access the program. Senator Smith introduced the bipartisan, bicameral REAP Modernization Act which would increase the cost share for REAP grants, raise certain grant limits, and improve the accessibility of the program to farmers and small businesses.
Toplines
Total Investment: $1,972,628
Total in Energy Savings (kWh/Year): 2,128,931 kWh
Total in Energy Savings ($/Year): $255,002
| Farm/Business Location | Amount | Project Description | Yearly Savings | Energy Savings in kilowatt hours |
| Darwin, MN | $199,626 | Purchase and installation of a 204kW solar array | $31,405 | 265,809 kWh, enough to power 25 homes |
| New Richland, MN | $65,000 | Purchase and install a 54kW solar array | $19,100 | 71,600 kWh, enough to power seven homes |
| Elbow Lake, MN | $148,906 | Purchase and installation of an energy efficient grain dryer | $18,334 | 251,965 kWh, enough to power 23 homes |
| Mahnomen, MN | $75,526 | Purchase and installation of an energy efficient grain dryer | $18,309 | 214,070 kWh, enough to power 20 homes |
| Mahnomen, MN | $228,463 | Purchase and installation of an energy efficient grain dryer | $17,625 | 234,994 kWh, enough to power 22 homes |
| Utica, MN | $62,500 | Purchase and install a 52kW solar array | $17,300 | 79,000 kWh, enough to power seven homes |
| Adams, MN | $57,500 | Purchase and installation of a 48kW solar array | $16,100 | 75,200 kWh, enough to power seven homes. |
| Austin, MN | $147,153 | Purchase and installation of a 99kW solar array | $13,600 | 137,400 kWh, enough to power 13 homes. |
| Mahnomen, MN | $70,600 | Purchase and installation of 40kW solar array | $12,792 | 56,617kWh, enough to power five homes |
| Park Rapids, MN | $77,540 | Purchase and installation of a 52kW solar array | $12,000 | 58,000 kWh, enough to power five homes |
| Pipestone, MN | $89,000 | Purchase and install a 25kW wind turbine | $11,378 | 110,900 kWh, enough to power 10 homes |
| Zimmerman, MN | $51,726 | Purchase and install a 50kW solar array | $8,707 | 72,562 kWh, enough to power seven homes |
| Lindstrom, MN | $71,350 | Purchase and installation of a 55kW solar array | $8,229 | 74,455 kWh, enough to power seven homes |
| Stillwater, MN | $31,339 | Purchase and install a 18kW solar array | $6,920 | 21,148 kWh, enough to power two homes |
| Atwater, MN | $40,387 | Purchase and installation of a 50kW solar array | $6,100 | 63,300 kWh, enough to power six homes |
| Mapleton, MN | $62,300 | Purchase and installation of a 20kW solar array | $5,400 | 36,000 kWh, enough to power three homes |
| Blue Earth, MN | $37,450 | Purchase and installation of 29kW solar array | $5,313 | 40,289 kWh per year, enough to power four homes |
| Fairmont, MN | $23,341 | Purchase and installation of a 12kW solar array | $5,277 | 10,882 kWh, enough to power one home |
| Aitkin, MN | $20,000 | Purchase and installation of a 37kW solar array | $4,800 | 40,600 kWh, enough to power four homes |
| Cleveland, MN | $35,700 | Purchase and installation of a 28kW solar array | $3,159 | 38,126 kWh, enough to power three homes |
| Owatonna, MN | $20,000 | Purchase and install a 18kW solar array | $2,860 | 23,420 kWh, enough to power two homes |
| Sauk Centre, MN | $28,950 | Purchase and install a 19kW solar array | $2,700 | 26,848 kWh, enough to power two homes |
| Caledonia, MN | $13,600 | Purchase and installation of a 15kW solar array | $2,300 | 22,500 kWh, enough to power two homes |
| Watkins, MN | $18,987 | Purchase and installation of a 16kW solar array | $2,000 | 20,900 kWh, enough to power two homes |
| Elbow Lake, MN | $263,000 | Purchase and installation of an energy efficient grain dryer | $1,953 | 45,010 kWh, enough to power 4 homes |
| Eyota, MN | $12,684 | Purchase and installation of 8kW solar array | $912 | 10,436 kWh, enough to power one home |
| Watson, MN | $20,000 | Purchase and installation of an energy efficient heating and cooling system and update a walk-in cooler | $419 | 26,900 kWh, enough to power two homes |
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