Energy Efficiency
REAP offers numerous different opportunities for energy efficiency savings, from on-farm process efficiency to rural business systems efficiency. Energy efficiency projects often are highly replicable, which means that a third-party entity such as a rural electric cooperative or farm group can help organize the application process and provide economy of scale benefits for multiple applicants.
For farms, REAP energy efficiency improvements include fans, lighting, grain dryer and irrigation pump efficiency improvements, and many other potential savings opportunities. Energy consumption reductions of over 30% and more are common and the returns on investment are very good.
Rural small businesses also qualify for REAP funding, and they have taken the opportunity to upgrade aging refrigeration units (grocery stores, for example) and lighting systems.