Marseille’s Energy Conservation Programs: Incentives For Businesses And Residents – Through support from USDA Rural Development through a REDA grant secured by CT RC&D, the CT Farm Energy Program implemented a new Connecticut Renewable Energy Assessment Assistance Project in 2022. This program provides no-cost assistance to eligible agricultural producers and rural small businesses that wish to apply. Energy Systems Project Technical Guidance.
A customized resource assessment for your farm or business helps you determine which type of renewable energy is best for you. Energy analysts will design a renewable energy system that optimizes your operation’s resources and energy consumption patterns to reduce or eliminate your electricity bills.
Marseille’s Energy Conservation Programs: Incentives For Businesses And Residents
Program representatives can help those eligible to apply for incentives to help fund your renewable energy system through USDA Rural Development.
California Energy Wise
Assisting CT farms as they wish to implement anaerobic digester technology on their farms. CT RC&D has created an anaerobic digester road map that you can view here .
The CT Farm Energy Program recently installed the 1st compost heat recovery system in CT at Collins Powder Hill Farm located in Enfield, CT. The project is funded by the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the US. Made possible with the support of the Department of Energy (DOE). The CT Farm Energy Program is working closely with the Collins family who own and operate Collins Compost along with AgriLab Technologies who are designing, installing and monitoring the system during the first year of the pilot project period. Shown above: CT RC&D hosted an open house and tour with farmers, federal, state and agency staff and interested stakeholders on March 29, 2018. To follow the installation and operation steps, please visit our Facebook page.
CTRC&D’s Connecticut Farm Energy Audit Program provided funding to cover 75% of the cost of energy audits for Connecticut greenhouse growers and agricultural producers. The program evaluated cost-effective technologies to address the energy challenges faced by today’s producers, with a focus on innovative technologies. Examples of projects analyzed by energy audits include dynamic temperature control, waste recovery systems, thermal energy storage, adaptive lighting control and more.
Funded by a REDA grant from USDA Rural Development, CTRC&D hired EnSave, Inc., an agricultural energy efficiency firm, to provide an energy audit. partnered with The goal of this project was to investigate innovation in greenhouse energy efficiency and agricultural practices.
Growing Need For Energy Efficiency Education
Farms and ag-based rural small businesses were provided with two types of audits based on their needs:
Both types of audits include energy and cost savings and estimated payback periods for recommended equipment. Once the audit report is complete, producers can make better business decisions and apply for funding through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to complete recommended energy efficient projects.
Through USDA Rural Development support through a REDA grant secured by CT RC&D, the CT Farm Energy Program implemented a new CT Farm Energy Geothermal Pilot Project. CT RC&D implemented this pilot (2018-2022) project by offering education, outreach, workshops and renewable energy assessments specifically focused on geothermal opportunities for farms and agriculture-based rural small businesses in Connecticut. . The project’s goal was to reduce barriers to alternative renewable energy sources by providing free geothermal energy assessments and corresponding reports to eligible farms and agricultural-based rural small businesses. This would allow consideration of another alternative form of energy in operations without any obligation to implement it.
The Connecticut Farm Energy Program works with a variety of farm operations, with varying project sizes and types. Below is a sample of the type of projects CFEP has provided assistance to Connecticut farms in implementing energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects. Many of the projects below have received support by securing a USDA REAP grant.
The State Energy Efficiency Scorecard
Ace Begonias replaced the inefficient HID lights in 2013 with 72 EE LED agriculture lights called the LumiGrow Pro 325. Estimated savings from the upgrade will result in annual savings of 39,640 kWh. While the owner was interested in this upgrade to save energy, he was equally interested in the production value these lights offer. Ace begonias will be able to produce a good plant quickly thanks to these new lights. In addition to the USDA REAP grant the farm has received incentives from the Energize CT Small Business Energy Advantage (SBEA) program.
>>If you want to learn more about greenhouse LED lighting visit EnergizeCT.com for program support and check out this link for lighting results done in Minnesota.
The Bishop Orchard Solar Project is the largest CT Farm Energy Program project to date. The 1.1 acre system is 1 of 2 solar arrays installed by the farm, with 1108 panels in 17 rows. The second array is on the roof of the farm market, which has 381 panels. The combined systems are 477 kW DC and are expected to generate 596,700 kWh per year, which will offset 80+% of the farm’s annual electric use. Total annual farm use is 668,000 kWh at an annual cost of approximately $106,000. The site chosen for the ground mounted system is a hillside with loose soil and rock edges that are not viable land for agriculture. The solar array follows Bishop Gardens’ vision: preserve and enhance the value of land for current and future generations and provide our customers with exceptional products and services that emphasize “family, food and fun.”
Freund Family Farm is a third generation dairy farm that maintains 600 acres with 300 Holstein cows. The farm has taken steps to ensure sustainability of operations for the next generation. The farm owners have installed several energy efficiency measures on the farm as well as installing two solar arrays, one mounted on the ground and the other roof mounted on their new robotic milking barn. The family actually built an early methane digester prototype to put the farm’s most abundant byproduct, cow manure, to good use as a renewable source of power. To date a CT is the only operating digester on the farm. Through decades of hard work, Friends has been recognized as national leaders in sustainable practices and received the inaugural US Dairy Sustainability Award for Outstanding Resource Stewardship.
There’s Always An Incentive For Being Energy Efficient
After receiving an Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AGEMP) from USDA NRCS in 2014 Full Bloom chose to insulate their honey house, install a ductless heat pump and a heat pump water heater. After an energy efficiency upgrade, Full Bloom installed a roof-mounted solar PV array on the honey house to offset 100% of its current electricity use. In addition to receiving a USDA REAP grant Full Bloom also received an incentive from Eversource through the ZREC program for the solar project.
With aging oil furnaces that required constant maintenance and an outdated lighting system at Gilbertite’s Herb Farm, the owner took steps to make his operation more efficient. Gilbert’s Herb Farm has implemented 2 energy efficiency projects on the farm. The most recent project updates are expected to save Gilberti an estimated $7,207, or about 41,184 kilowatt-hours, in annual electricity bills. In addition, it is estimated that the farm will see annual natural gas savings of $7,797 or 7,088 Ccf due to the furnace upgrades. By switching from oil to natural gas heat, annual fuel bills are expected to drop from $42,968 to $15,680 for an annual savings of $27,280. You can learn more about a recent project they established with the support of the Energies CT program and United Illuminating by viewing the case study.
A 12.4 kW roof mounted solar array was installed in 2016. The system is estimated to offset 80% of the vineyard’s current electricity use. In addition to receiving a USDA REAP grant, Lost Acres is also receiving an incentive from Eversource through the ZREC program.
Pride’s Corner Farms is a family owned regional wholesale plant growing for over 30+ years. The farm installed a 240 kW rooftop solar array on top of its new greenhouse. The system consists of 735 Sunpower panels and 18 inverters that will offset 100% of the farm’s two meters and 25% of their overall farm electricity use.
How To Use The Energyguide Label To Shop For Home Appliances
Generation Farm located in Ellington, CT. The farm received a USDA Rural Development REAP grant to install a rooftop solar array on its dairy barn with assistance from the CT Farm Energy Program. The goal was to reduce energy costs associated with the farm, including manure pumps, milk pumps, water pumps, fans and lighting that use a lot of electricity. The project has an additional financial benefit to the farm as they were able to secure a ZREC contract with their utility company. Oakridge installed a 245kW solar PV system consisting of 752 panels which is equivalent to powering approximately 45 homes annually.
Paley’s Farm Market is a family operation in Sharon, CT with 5 growing greenhouses and 1 retail greenhouse with 22 acres of farm grown produce. Most of the energy used on the farm is electricity for product refrigeration, and for farm store use. Paley’s has installed a 36 kW ground mounted system with 3 arrays and 144 panels that meet 94% of their annual electric usage.
With C-PACE financing of $485,000, Shagbark Lumber and Farm Supply installed a
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