FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Amanda Pankau, Prairie Rivers Network, apankau@prairierivers.org, 217-840-3057
Businesses in Southern Illinois Go Solar With Help From USDA Rural Energy Grant
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — Three businesses in Southern Illinois, Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass, Teal Veterinary Services in Galatia, and Big John Super Foods Store in Eldorado, have converted to 100% solar power thanks to a federal grant. The USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant gained additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act in an effort to invest in rural communities and advance renewable energy. Small businesses and agricultural producers in rural Illinois are eligible for millions of dollars in federal grants and loans. This program has invested over $3 million in Southern Illinois since August alone, helping nearly 50 rural businesses and farms in the region adopt renewable energy projects. Prairie Rivers Network is working with rural communities to explore new energy opportunities that save money and protect the water, air, and land.
Alto Vineyards is the oldest winery in Illinois run by three generations of the Renzaglia family. They won $40,992 from a REAP grant to provide solar energy to their 5,000 square foot wine tasting room.
“I think going solar has been one of the best things we’ve done in years,” said Karen Renzaglia, “in terms of really boosting our business and enabling us to get ahead. In addition to federal money, Illinois has the best incentives in the country. It’s a no-brainer. Any small business owner absolutely must look into this.”
Teal Veterinary Service, Inc. is owned and operated by Dr. James Teal. He provides care for dogs and cats at this location, where he has been for 16 years. After seeing his electricity bill double in one year, he made the decision to install solar panels on his roof. He received $24,566 from the REAP grant to help pay for the solar panels.
“I am producing enough power for my use, plus putting some back on the grid,” said Dr. Teal. “It’s nice not to have that $600 a month power bill. With the reduction of utility cost we added a new ultrasound machine. With inflation at such a high level, any savings in utilities are welcome.”
Big John is a grocery store owned by Dan Doughty since 1985. A REAP grant of more than half a million dollars allowed Doughty to install 1,900 solar panels to power his 18,000 square foot building. He was previously spending $115,000 a year on electricity bills. Trying to survive as a family-owned grocery store in the era of big box stores, he can now reinvest in his business.
“It will help me immensely,” said owner Dan Doughty, about winning the REAP grant. “On a sunny day, the solar panels crank up to 1,800 kilowatts. They tell me that’s excellent. I’ve not used any power from the power lines. I’m 100% self-sufficient on solar. I can utilize the savings to upgrade my frozen food equipment. It’s a lifesaver. I’ve got an Aldi store, a Kroger store, Dollar Store, and a Walmart within 10 miles of me. My customers have other places they can spend their money, but thankfully they keep coming back to my store.”
Big John is located in former coal country in southern Illinois, where many residents are low income and receive food stamps. The store is perhaps most recognizable for its 50-foot-tall statue of John Henry, the steel-driving folk hero and the store’s namesake.
“Through my position at Prairie Rivers Network, I mostly work with communities facing the closure of coal facilities,” said Amanda Pankau, Director of Energy and Community Resiliency at Prairie Rivers Network. “It’s particularly exciting for me to see renewable energy projects in some of the most economically hard-hit regions of the state.”
Illinois state Renewable Energy Credits (REC) and federal tax credits also exist to incentivize solar, and many homeowners, businesses, and communities are going solar with benefits to their pocketbook and the environment. The state RECs can cover 25-40% of project costs, and federal tax credits can cover at least 30% of project costs. Under a new federal law, tax-exempt entities, such as local governments, schools, and nonprofit organizations, can now access the value of the federal tax credit through a newly established “elective payment” or “direct pay” option.
Application windows for the REAP Grant are open four times a year. The next deadlines are December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2024. Rural small businesses and agricultural producers can learn more here.
At Prairie Rivers Network (PRN), we protect water, heal land, and inspire change. Using the creative power of science, law, and collective action, we protect and restore our rivers, return healthy soils and diverse wildlife to our lands, and transform how we care for the earth and for each other. PRN is the Illinois affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.
