Department of Agriculture approves $30 million for Nebraska solar energy project
The funding awards, which will go toward powering more than 1,700 homes, were made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Aug. 8 that it has approved $30 million in awards for a solar energy project that will ultimately power more than 1,700 homes in Nebraska.
The department said that under its Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, SE Municipal Solar LLC, based in Omaha, will build eight solar power plants to be located in the cities and villages of Sidney, Alliance, Gering, Crete, Stuart, Pender, Ansley, and Imperial.
“The project we’re announcing today will create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs for consumers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen the resiliency of our nation’s electric grid,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
The PACE program was created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and was designed to increase the availability of so-called clean energy to Americans living in rural areas. The program grants forgiveness of up to 60% of loans used for renewable energy projects, which include solar, biomass, geothermal, wind, and hydropower energy sources. The law requires that at least 50% of the population who will benefit from the program live in communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer.
Nebraska has received other federal awards under the same program. In July, Omaha-based Bluestem Energy Solutions was selected to build a solar facility in the city of Madison.
“For us, I think maybe the biggest sort of benefit is it’s going to create some stability when it comes to our energy system,” Madison Mayor Rob Fite told Nebraska Public Media.
The Department of Agriculture has made $1 billion available through the PACE program and as of August said it has allocated awards to 13 projects in six states.
The Inflation Reduction Act was unanimously opposed by Republicans, including the entirety of Nebraska’s delegation, when it was being debated in Congress.
Sen. Deb Fischer described it as “a $1.2 trillion money pit” in an April 2023 social media post.
The bill advanced to the president’s desk for signature after Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of passage in the Senate.
“The Inflation Reduction Act will help millions of Americans build a better future for themselves and for those they love,” Harris said in remarks delivered at the White House in September 2022.
