A Beardstown funeral home recently received a federal grant through the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office for installation of solar panels.
Colwell Memorial Home will receive just under $69,000 to install a 38 kilowatt solar array to help power their business. According to the grant award as part of the federal government’s Rural Energy for America Program for renewable energy and energy efficiency, the project will realize more than $9,700 annually in savings and replace more than 52,000 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough on average to power 4 homes.
Nationwide, 682 projects will share in more than $207 million in low-interest loans and grants announced on Monday by the USDA.
The REAP grants and loans also saw projects receive grants in Staunton, Raymond, Godfrey, Granite City, and Alton.