USDA awards energy grants to Mound House RV garage, Washoe Valley ranch

A Mound House RV repair outfit, a community agriculture ranch in Washoe Valley and a motel in Fallon are among the recipients of energy grants awarded Tuesday by USDA Rural Development Nevada.

Ed’s RV Repair, McCleary Ranch and Pranav Morar’s Comfort Inn each received grants to to make energy efficiency improvements. The Rural Energy for America Program grants, amounting to nearly $60,000, were awarded to rural businesses so they can replace liquid propane with solar thermal water heaters, save therms of natural gas per year through efficiency upgrades and produce 83,422 kWh of green energy per year with solar photovoltaic systems.

“We made a big push to get the word out about REAP with workshops across Nevada, and I am pleased with the number of grants going to small businesses and agricultural producers,” said USDA RD Nevada State Director Sarah Adler. “With many REAP grants approved and more in the works our goal now is to work with rural lenders to get additional large REAP guaranteed loans approved.”

Edward Sensibaugh of Ed’s RV Repair in Mound House received a $4,775 REAP grant to purchase and construct a 5.4 kW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system. The solar photovoltaic system will generate an estimated 9,094 kWh of renewable energy annually.

Elizabeth McCleary’s community supported agriculture business, McCleary Ranch, in Washoe Valley received a $10,066 REAP grant to make energy efficiency improvements to her farm’s irrigation system. The updated irrigation system will save an estimated 5,884 kWh of energy annually. This is McCleary’s second REAP grant, the first of which was used to install a solar photovoltaic system.

Pranav Morar’s Fallon Comfort Inn received a $10,299 REAP grant to make energy efficiency improvements to its hot water system. The efficiency improvements will save an estimated 3,115 therms of natural gas annually. Contracted through Mike’s Plumbing in Fallon, this project will replace old boilers and steel tanks with a modern efficiency hot water system.

Reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) helps enhance renewable energy use and energy efficiency with grants covering 25 percent of a total project cost and guarantee loans covering up to 75 percent of the total project cost. The latest round of Nevada grants helped seven rural businesses which included hotels, agricultural producers and an automotive repair shop.

Others to receive grants are: Jadish Desai’s Monarch Motel in Hawthorne. Briggs Electric located in Carson City is contracted for the installation of $20,000 in REAP grant money to purchase and construct a 22.7 kW roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. The solar photovoltaic system will generate an estimated 45,528 kWh of renewable energy annually. This marks the second REAP grant Desai has received for a solar photovoltaic system.

The Miles End Lodge Bed and Breakfast owned by John and Ann Miles in Kingston, received a $2,604 REAP grant to purchase and construct a solar thermal system for generating hot water. The solar thermal system will replace an estimated 565 gallons of liquid propane gas annually. The project is contracted to Sunvelope Solar located in Sparks.

James Gatzke’s small farming operation, Canyon Gardens, near Elgin, Nev. will use a $3,100 REAP grant to purchase and construct a 1.7 kW off-grid solar photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system will generate an estimated 1,645 kWh of renewable energy annually.

Marilyn Yamamoto’s Organic Edibles Las Vegas received an $8,969 REAP grant to purchase and construct a 10.8 kW roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system. The solar photovoltaic system will generate an estimated 21,271 kWh of renewable energy annually for the farming operation. The solar photovoltaic cells will be installed through Sol-Up USA located in Las Vegas.

REAP applications are accepted continuously, and the next funding opportunity for grants of $20,000 and less will be October 31. To learn more about the program go to the USDA website at www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-renewable... or contact Mark Williams, Energy Coordinator for USDA Rural Development, at (775) 887-1222, Ext. 116.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has an active portfolio of more than $211 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.