USDA awards REAP grants to 3 ethanol producers
On October 3, 2024, the USDA awarded $104 million to over 300 clean energy projects through the Rural Energy for America Program. Three ethanol plants received grants: Iowa’s Absolute Energy ($621,796), Illinois’s Big River Resources Galva ($500,000), and South Dakota’s Aberdeen Energy ($1 million), all aimed at improving energy efficiency and increasing power generation at their facilities.
October 8, 2024
The USDA on Oct. 3 awarded $104 million in loans and grants to more than 300 clean energy projects under the Rural Energy for America Program. Projects under development at three ethanol plants were among those to receive funding.
Iowa-based Absolute Energy LLC was awarded a $621,796 grant to support the installation of a slurry heating and reduced backset system to prevent bottlenecks at the evaporators at its ethanol plant. The project is expected to generate 37.36 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy worth more than $3.17 million per year, which is enough to energy to power 3,447 homes.
Illinois-based Big River Resources Galva LLC was awarded a $500,000 grant to support the purchase and installation of a combined-heat-and-power (CHP) system at the company’s dry-mill fuel ethanol plant. The project will realize more than $5.6 million per year in savings and will replace 96.12 million kWh per year, which equates to roughly 9% of the facility’s power needs and is enough to power 8,869 homes, according to USDA.
In South Dakota, Aberdeen Energy LLC was awarded a $1 million grant to support the purchase and installation of an ethanol production expansion system. The project will generate 178.9 million kWh of electricity per year, which is enough electricity to power 15,508 homes.
Source Link : https://ethanolproducer.com/articles/usda-awards-reap-grants-to-3-ethanol-producers
