Wooly Pig Brewery, other area businesses receive federal grants for energy projects

WASHINTON D.C. − The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced more than 700 clean energy projects receiving grants.

The focus is on lowering energy bills, expanding access to domestic biofuels and creating jobs and new market opportunities for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers. Many of the projects are funded by the federal Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis.

Projects are targeted at creating jobs and spur economic growth in rural communities by increasing competition in agricultural markets, lowering costs and building more clean energy projects. Being provided is $238 million in funding through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP).

Among area entities receiving funding is Wooly Pig Farm Brewery of Fresno, which will receive $143,000 from REAP. Funding will be used to purchase and install a 99.91-kilowatt ground mounted solar array. The project is expected to generate 95,825 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power nine homes, and offset nearly 68% of the business' annual energy consumption. It is also expected to save $14,373 in annual energy costs, reducing expenses and providing an opportunity to invest back into the business. Construction is set to start soon on the array, said Jael Malenke of the brewery.

"Being able to generate renewable solar power at the brewery lines up with our personal and business priorities for sustainability and self-sufficiency. A solar array of this size would be financially out-of-reach for us without the REAP grant, so it hadn't really been on our radar before the grant became available," she said.

"Electricity is our only core utility -for brewing and in the tasting room. On sunny days, the array will easily provide all the power needed to run the brewery. The savings on our power bills will be funneled back into the workings of the business."

Other grants include:

● Daniels Amish Collection, which builds furniture, in Killbuck received $31,852 for purchase and installation of an energy efficient dush system. The project is expected to offset 6% of the business' energy consumption, saving $33,954 in annual energy costs and generating 251,057 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power 24 U.S. homes.

● Holmes Rental Station in Sugarcreek will get $118,550 to purchase and install a 107.67-kilowatt roof-mounted solar array. The project is expected to save the business $11,241 in annual energy costs and generate 113,394 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, enough to power 11 U.S. homes.

● A business owned by Bryan Graber of Sugarcreek will receive $70,950 to purchase and install a 58.2-kilowatt roof-mounted solar array. The project is expected to save the business $9,686 in annual energy costs and generate 57,701 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, enough to power five U.S. homes.

● Premier Housing of Millersburg will get $290,150 to purchase and install a 292.94-kilowatt roof-mounted solar array. This project is expected to save the business $55,195 in annual energy costs and generate 314,231 kilowatthours of electricity per year, enough energy to power 31 U.S. homes.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Coshocton-area businesses receive federal energy grants