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USDA Rural Development awarded about $2.2 million across five rural Iowa projects through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), according to an October 22, 2024 report by Iowa Capital Dispatch. The reported awards support solar installations, an energy-efficient grain dryer and a conversion system at an ethanol plant. The figures below reflect that report; several awards are rounded, so they should not be added as exact line items.
Which Iowa projects received the funding?
The five recipients and project descriptions reported by Iowa Capital Dispatch were:
| Recipient | Reported award | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnway Energy LLC | $1 million | A grain-to-alcohol conversion system at its ethanol plant near Nevada, Iowa. |
| GrowAg Investments LLP | $327,109 | Solar arrays in Emmet, Palo Alto, Kossuth, Hancock and Pocahontas counties. The report says the company owns a hog operation near Alden. |
| Red Lion Perry Solar II | Almost $800,000 | Expansion of solar arrays in Perry. |
| Cresco Heating and Ventilating | $30,000 | Solar installation in Howard County. |
| Quad J Inc | A little over $60,000 | An energy-efficient grain dryer at its grain operation in Cherokee County. |
Iowa Capital Dispatch described the five awards as totaling about $2.2 million. Because some individual amounts were reported approximately, the displayed amounts do not add up to a precise award total.
What was projected for the ethanol-plant project?
The report attributed to the USDA announcement a projection that Lincolnway Energy’s conversion system would generate 223.7 million kilowatt-hours annually, described as enough electricity to power more than 20,000 homes. That is a forecast reported in 2024, not evidence that the system has since produced that amount of electricity.
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Why did the awards draw both support and criticism?
Theresa Greenfield, then USDA Rural Development director for Iowa, said the recipients had “met all criteria to qualify for the program awards.” She also said producers and small-business owners were eager to add renewable-energy systems and improve energy efficiency on farms, ranches and businesses.
Jess Mazour, speaking for the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club, criticized the selection, especially assistance to the ethanol industry. The report quoted Mazour saying: “We’ve subsidized the ethanol industry for more than two decades despite increased air emissions, water degradation, soil erosion and the loss of the family farmer.” Those are Mazour’s stated criticisms, not findings independently established by the award announcement.
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The report also noted Lincolnway Energy’s listing as a partner on the Summit Carbon Solutions carbon sequestration pipeline and that Mazour objected to GrowAg’s ties to Summit Agricultural Group. The article presents these as context for the criticism; they do not change the reported award amounts or project descriptions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How broad was REAP funding, according to the 2024 report?
Greenfield was quoted as saying that, at the time of the 2024 report, REAP had invested more than $2.4 billion in approximately 8,500 projects nationwide and nearly $67 million in more than 800 Iowa projects. These are historical figures reported in 2024, not current program totals.
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