Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced a slate of new federal clean energy investments that will help farmers and business owners in rural Georgia lower their energy costs. These investments, awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), will help rural farmers and businesses fund solar and electric energy upgrades. These improvements will not only lower energy costs, but also help generate new income and strengthen competition for U.S. agriculture products.
“Delivering clean energy investments that will help farmers and business owners in rural Georgia lower their energy costs and save money is a win-win for our economy and our environment,” said Senator Warnock. “This is exactly the kind of progress Senator Ossoff and I had in mind when we worked to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, and I’m glad to see the benefits of that law continue flowing to our state.”
“Senator Warnock and I continue to champion energy security and energy independence to lower energy costs for Georgia’s farmers and businesses,” said Senator Ossoff. “I thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Vilsack for helping deliver this investment in Georgia’s energy future.”
The funds are made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), legislation championed by the Senators. The IRA provided $2 billion to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvement grants for agricultural producers and rural small business owners. In total, 17 projects across 14 counties in rural Georgia will receive $2 million in federal REAP funding, amounting to a total of over $230,000 per year in energy savings.
See below for a full list of grant recipients:
| County of Recipient | Award Amount | Purpose |
| Gilmer | $44,288 | Purchase/install solar… |
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