Deadline Extended for Energy Grants from CDA

Deadline Extended for Energy Grants from CDA

Maura Bennett
Maura Bennett
Early this year the state announced that has funds to help Colorado agriculture producers update farming and ranching systems with energy efficient tools and renewable energy projects.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture now says it is extending the deadline for interested producers to April 12th.

$250,000 is available to Colorado agricultural irrigators, dairies, greenhouses, nurseries, and cold storage facilities. This funding is provided by CDA's Advancing Colorado's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ACRE3) grant program.

Jim McClay and his partners at Cottonwood Dairy in Fort Lupton took advantage of the pilot program by installing a heat exchanger to cool milk more quickly. Jim is featured in a CDA presentation.

"Now my coolers in the bulk tanks only need to take the milk from 50 down to 36 rather than 98 to 36. Instead of the coolers in the bulk tanks running for 8 to 9 hours straight, they'll run for about 2 hours and then shut off. That's where you see a lot of the savings."

McClay says they did simple things to like installing energy efficient lights and were able to invest in a pair of commercial washers and reduce the number of loads to 3 a day compared to 15 before.

Applicants must be enrolled in the agricultural efficiency program and complete either an energy audit to receive funding for energy efficiency projects or complete a preliminary site assessment and technical report to receive funding for renewable energy projects. Applicants may receive up to $50,000 per project. Additional federal funding may be available. Eligible energy efficiency projects are limited to those recommended in the energy audit report. Applications are available online at www.colorado.gov Applications must be received by the Colorado Department of Agriculture by April 12th.

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