Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced more than $2 billion in investments for pollution reduction and access to clean power in rural America. More than $130 million falls under the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program and an additional $2.2 billion goes to funding 39 projects across 21 states, helping to bring access to reliable electricity to more than 2 million people.

USDA’s Secretary Tom Vilsack said that the announcement “reinforces” President Biden’s commitment to strengthen energy security and forge a path toward a cleaner, more sustainable future, “by investing to deploy renewable energy technology and upgrade thousands of miles of transmission line across the nation.”

PACE Awards Applicants

1. Trico Electric Cooperative Inc. (AZ): $83.5 million to reduce carbon emissions by half in 2032 via battery energy storage systems and improved access to reliable energy for the surrounding Tucson communities and the Pascua Yaqui Reservation.
2. La Plata Electric Association (CO): $13.4 million to dramatically reduce annual energy costs and provide clean solar solutions to distressed and or disadvantaged communities, including those in Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Tribal reservations.
3. Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (HI): $24.4 million to increase solar energy production, along with reducing reliability of fossil fuels during peak hours in Anahola, Koloa, and Port Allen, pushing the cooperative closer to its 100% renewable energy goals by 2033.
4. Emerson (NB): $1 million to build a solar facility and improve its energy distribution for the Winnebago Tribe.
5. The Midwest Electric Cooperative Corporation (NB): almost $17 million to finance solar facilities and energy storage systems for Wallace, Grant, Paxton, and Lakeview communities.

In addition to increasing access to resilient energy in rural communities, these awards further support the Justice40 initiative that is meant to provide 40% of Federal climate, clean energy, and other investments to disadvantaged and overburdened communities.

Renewable Opportunities for Smart Grid Technologies

These investments make it possible for utilities to add visibility and controls to the grid like never before. Additionally, the emphasis on renewable energy means that smart grid technologies will be leveraged to help channel those new energy sources into the grid and into battery energy storage systems. It’s a once-in-a-generation sort of funding opportunity that providers everywhere will be looking for a place to jump in and help the utilities and renewable energy resource providers.