New project aims to help LA farmers small businesses save energy

[Cajunrunner]

A new initiative led by Dr. Peng Yin and Dr. Terrence Chambers at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is set to revolutionize energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption for agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the state.

The project, funded by the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grant, aims to provide crucial technical assistance to promote energy efficiency improvement (EEI) and renewable energy system (RES) projects.

"We are thrilled to lead this initiative aimed at empowering Louisiana's agricultural producers and rural small businesses to embrace energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. With our team's expertise and the support of the REAP Grant, we are confident that we can make a significant impact in helping these communities save energy, reduce costs, and contribute to a more sustainable future," said Yin, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

The primary goal of the project is to assist agricultural producers and rural small businesses in Louisiana in applying for REAP grants by offering technical expertise on energy efficiency improvement and renewable energy systems.

"As a researcher passionate about sustainable energy solutions, I'm honored to be part of this collaborative effort to support Louisiana's agricultural and rural communities. By leveraging our expertise and partnerships, we aim to empower businesses to adopt energy-efficient practices and renewable energy systems, driving economic growth and environmental stewardship across the state," said Chambers, director of the University’s EDA-funded Green Hydrogen Center of Excellence and its Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Center and co-principal investigator on the REAP Grant.

The proposed service area encompasses the entire state, ensuring that no corner of Louisiana is left behind in the transition toward sustainable energy practices. The technical assistance offered includes energy assessment, photovoltaics feasibility assessment, report generation, grant application assistance and project management support.

The energy assessment process will involve several steps, including benchmarking, data collection, analysis, reporting, and implementation planning. It will focus on major energy-consuming equipment and systems such as lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, motors/pumps/fans, water heaters, compressed air, process heating/cooling, and combustion.

Additionally, the project will offer photovoltaics feasibility assessments to estimate annual electricity generation through system design and performance modeling. This will include electricity bill analysis economic assessments and implementation planning.

Entire university news release: https://louisiana.edu/news/new-proje...y-and-go-green

[Turbine]

Anything "farmers" is a good initiative.

[BabbForHeisman]

Anything "farmers" is a good initiative.

Does that include FarmersOnly.com?

[cajunfan96]

Entire university news release: https://louisiana.edu/news/new-proje...y-and-go-green

To quote the great communicator, Ronald Reagan, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. "

[CajunNation]

To quote the great communicator, Ronald Reagan, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. "

The Gipper was correct, as usual.