WASHINGTON — 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 grant gained additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act in an effort to invest in rural communities and advance renewable energy.
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 run by three generations of the Renzaglia family. They were awarded $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 in terms of really boosting our business and enabling us to get ahead,” said Karen Renzaglia. “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, owned and operated by Dr. James Teal, has provided animal care at its location for 16 years. After seeing his electricity bill double in one year, Teal 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,” Teal said.
“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 Super Foods 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,” Doughty said 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. 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, Prairie Rivers Network director of Energy and Community Resiliency.
“It’s particularly exciting for me to see renewable energy projects in some of the most economically hard-hit regions of the state.”
The State of Illinois’ Renewable Energy Credits 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% to 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 Dec. 31, 2023, and March 31, 2024. Rural small businesses and agricultural producers can learn at more at https://tinyurl.com/46tdxxxy.