USDA invests in clean energy projects in Bladen County

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development North Carolina State Director Reginald Speight announced that USDA is funding 16 projects to expand access to clean energy systems in North Carolina, including a few in Bladen County.

USDA is providing nearly $11.3 million through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis.

In Bladen County, Sand Castle Solar will use $3.2 million in USDA REAP loans and grants to purchase and install a 4 megawatt solar system. The system is estimated to produce 6.6 million kilowatt hours in year one, which is enough electricity to power 555 homes.

Indigo Solar will use $2.3 million in USDA REAP loans and grants to purchase and install a 2.6-megawatt solar system. The system is estimated to produce 4.6 million kilowatt hours a year, which is enough electricity to power 385 homes.

Here are the other projects being funded in other parts of the state:

· In Carteret County, Veneer Technologies Inc. will use a $415 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 477.42-kilowatt solar array. The system will produce 684 thousand kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 63 homes.

· In Catawba County, VIP Carwash Incorporated will use a $47 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 35.5-kilowatt solar array. This project will generate 49 thousand kilowatt hours per year.

· In Clay County, Advanced Digital Cable Inc. will use a $249 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 290.4-kilowatt solar array. The system is estimated to produce 889 thousand kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 32 homes.

· In Davie County, Charles Richard Lee Jr. will use a $52 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a grain dryer. Lee has a soybean and corn farm operation located near Mocksville. This project will realize $1,485 per year in savings, and will replace 21,051 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power two homes.

· In Gaston County, Nuport LLC dba J&L Machine and Fab Inc. will use a $705 thousand REAP grant to purchase and install a 430.7-kilowatt solar array. The system is estimated to produce 627 thousand kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 52 homes.

· In Harnett County, Lifelink Medical Group PLLC will use a $39 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 36.5-kilowatt solar array. The system will produce 47 thousand kilowatt hours per year.

· In Henderson County, Ager Holding LLC will use a $137 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 157-kilowatt solar array. The system will produce 229,611 kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 21 homes.

· In Lincoln County, Riverbend Creamery LLC will use a $73 thousand USDA REAP grant to make energy efficiency improvements with the replacement of cold storage equipment. This upgrade will realize $5 thousand per year in savings, and will replace 52,392 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power five homes.

· In Macon County, Sleep USA Mattress LLC will use a $23 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 19.5-kilowatt solar array. The system will produce 27 thousand kilowatt hours per year.

· In Moore County, Shannon Allison DDS PA will use a $50 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 20.94-kilowatt solar array with battery storage. The system will produce 21 thousand kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power two homes.

· In Orange County, Eno River Farm LLC will use a $131 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 97.2-kilowatt solar array. The system will produce 129 thousand kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 11 homes.

· In Pitt County, Consolidated Models Inc. will use a $625 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install a 654-kilowatt solar array. The system will produce 520 thousand kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 47 homes.

· In Robeson County, Henry Locklear & Sons Farms Inc. will use a $79 thousand USDA REAP grant to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of a grain dryer. Henry Locklear & Sons Farms Inc. is a family-owned farming corporation that grows corn and soybeans in Maxton, North Carolina. This project will realize $11,409 per year in savings and will replace five thousand kilowatt hours and 10 thousand gallons of propane per year, which is enough energy to power five homes.

· In Robeson County, T & H Farms LLC will use a $892 thousand USDA REAP grant to purchase and install an 889-kilowatt solar array. The system will generate 1.7 million kilowatt hours per year. This project will save enough electricity to power 108 homes.

· In Wayne County, Hackberry Solar LLC will use a $2.3 million in USDA REAP loans and grants to purchase and install a 2.627-megawatt, direct current (DC) utility-scale farm