Rural Maine businesses granted $514K for climate-smart energy upgrades
In a fitting nod to National Maine Day, eight Maine businesses will share $514,000 in grants, USDA for Rural Development announced Dec. 21.
The highest grant was awarded to T&D Wood Energy LLC, of Sanford, which will use $190,700 in funding to eliminate a process that uses over 24,000 gallons of diesel fuel a year. T&D will make the switch by buying a diesel-powered, horizontal grinder and a green hammermill. The new system provides a safer and more energy efficient green grinding system, according to a news release announcing the grants.
Seven other organizations are receiving funds to install energy efficient and renewable energy systems in rural businesses throughout the state:
- Maine Timber Mats LLC, located in New Portland, will receive $86,396 to purchase a new biomass boiler system to provide heat for its multi-building sawmill. The new system will replace low-efficiency solid and fossil fuel heating boilers.
- Community Shellfish Co. LLC, in Bremen, was awarded $85,666 to build a solar photovoltaic system that is expected to save the farm $27,249.34 a year. According to the EPA, it's the equivalent of powering around 19 homes annually and recycling 52.8 tons of waste.
- A&A Market Inc., a convenience store in Corinna, will receive $42,343 to build a solar photovoltaic system for an estimated annual cost savings of $12,819. This is the equivalent to powering 9.4 homes for one year and greenhouse gas emissions avoided by recycling 16.6 tons of waste.
- The Grant-Tates Building LLC, a small-scale redevelopment company in Bath, will receive a grant of $29,132 to install a solar photovoltaic system that's the equivalent to powering 5.7 homes for one year and the equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions avoided by 10.2 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled.
- 93 Coffee LLC, in Kingfield, will receive a $28,838 grant to build a solar photovoltaic system that is expected to generate enough kilowatt-hours annually for an estimated cost savings of $6,828, the equivalent to powering 6.7 homes for one year and 11.9 tons of waste recycled.
- William Sproul, owner of T&B Transmission Services in Chelsea, will get a grant for $26,820 to build a solar photovoltaic system that's estimated to generate enough energy each year to power eight homes for one year and 4.3 tons of waste recycled.
- S.P. Real Estate LLC, in Fort Kent, was granted $24,105 to build a solar photovoltaic system with an estimated yearly cost savings of $9,123, the equivalent to powering 21 homes for a year and greenhouse gas emissions avoided by 37.7 tons of waste recycled.
“Installation of photovoltaic systems for businesses like 93 Coffee in Kingfield, and Community Shellfish in Bremen result in real energy savings for those entities,” said Rhiannon Hampson, Maine state director for USDA Rural Development, “and they reinvest that money into their workforce and communities. Maine Timber Mats in New Portland replacing aging, outdated diesel reliant systems with wood boilers to utilize the residuals from their sawmill operation allows them to be a part of our climate solutions — proving again that our heritage industries here in Maine have a lot to offer the future.”
Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for Americans in rural areas. Grants help support businesses, housing, public safety and high-speed internet access. For more information, click here.
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