PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) have announced $59,250 in grants to help farmers “green” their agricultural operations and save energy and money. The awards, funded through the Rhode Island Agricultural Energy Grant Program, will support solar projects at six local farms across the state.
“Our farmers in Rhode Island play an essential role in providing the state with fresh, locally sourced products,” said Governor McKee. “We must continue to support our local farmers and provide them the resources needed for implementing clean energy projects. I am very happy to announce the next round of grant winners for the Agricultural Energy Grant program. These farms have converted to energy efficient equipment that will help lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.”
“The Agricultural Energy Grant program assists farmers across Rhode Island that are interested in integrating clean energy onto their farms while reducing their utility costs and carbon footprints,” said Acting State Energy Commissioner Chris Kearns. “This program, along with the collaboration with the DEM and Governor McKee, will continue to grow the States clean energy portfolio and achieve the goals outlined in the Act on Climate.”
“DEM congratulates the grant recipients and all partners in Rhode Island’s agricultural and food system sectors for their commitment to sustainability by bringing clean, reliable, and affordable renewable energy to their farms and small agriculture-related businesses,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “These grants help expand the toolbox for farming families and nurseries to grow their businesses while improving sustainability and resilience throughout the food system. Every investment like this will help Rhode Island meet the greenhouse gas reduction targets set out in the Act on Climate.”
Spring 2023 funded projects include:
Hattoy’s Nursery and Garden Center, Coventry RI, $20,000
This 13.53 kW rooftop solar project will offset 100 percent of total energy consumption for this nursery farm and landscaping company.
Walnut and Willow Farm, Lincoln RI, $20,000
This 6.84 kW rooftop solar project will offset 93 percent of total energy consumption for this third generation family produce farm.
Wicked Tiny Farms, Narragansett RI, $19,250
The installation of a mini-split and multi-zone non-ducted heat pumps will save roughly 200 gallons of oil (40 percent) of the annual total energy used for this local produce farm.
There are more than 1,000 farms throughout Rhode Island, contributing over 2,500 jobs and $235 million to the Rhode Island economy each year.
Funding for the state’s Agricultural Energy Grant program is made possible through Rhode Island’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the nation’s first mandatory, market-based cap, and trade program to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the power sector.
To read more about how Rhode Island is addressing climate change mitigation and resiliency, please visit: http://climatechange.ri.gov
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