Effective April 1, 2023…Increased Funding for Rural Solar Installations

On March 31, 2023 the USDA Rural Development REAP program announced it will have new funding for Renewable Energy Technologies through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, according to Federal Notice 4280.115. This will provide a grant up to 50% of total project costs for renewable energy systems, such as solar energy projects, that are installed in rural areas for small businesses and agricultural producers. Projects are required to be renewable energy systems that produce zero gas emissions at the project level. The maximum grant assistance per applicant per year is $1,500,000 with a minimum project size of $10,000 for Renewable Energy Systems. Scoring is also changing to provide increased points for environmental benefits and installations in distressed and disadvantaged communities. This program will now have 6 quarterly application windows beginning Apr 1, 2023- Jun 30, 2023 compared to only two  application windows per year, providing applicants a more frequent opportunity to submit applications.

Please contact the Ace Solar Grant Team at 330-542-2802 or [email protected], for more specifics on how to qualify your rural business or farming operation for this program.