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Solar guide helps installers take customers through federal solar grant application process

by Shield Wall Media Staff

As part of its mission to help people go solar, national nonprofit Solar United Neighbors (SUN) has released a new guide to help farmers and rural small business owners apply for a key federal grant and loan. This will make it easier for solar installers to guide them through the process of installing solar energy at their property. The comprehensive guide takes applicants step-by-step through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) application process. 

“It’s a great time for farms or rural small businesses to go solar,” said Anya Schoolman, Solar United Neighbors Executive Director. “We’re excited to offer this first-of-its-kind guide to help installers guide customers through the process.”

REAP started in 2002 as part of the federal Farm Bill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development administers this grant and loan program. The program is designed to help farmers and rural small businesses access renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

The REAP program has been so popular that funding for the grants has not been able to meet the demand. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed last year, addresses this challenge. It quadruples REAP funding over the next ten years.

“Going solar eight years ago is one of the best decisions I have made since I started farming,” said Art Thicke of Enchanted Meadows dairy farm in LaCrescent, Minnesota. “We have enough solar panels to produce the electricity we use so our energy costs are fixed. When energy prices go up we don’t notice. Farmers looking to control costs and increase sustainability should take advantage of REAP and other programs to go solar.”

Farmers and rural small business owners can receive loan guarantees of up to 75% of total eligible project costs through REAP. They can receive grants for up to 40% of the total project cost.

Solar United Neighbors has helped more than a dozen applicants apply for a REAP grant or loan.

The USDA accepts applications twice a year. The first deadline is March 31. The second is October 31. SUN is hosting a free webinar February 2 to educate attendees about the REAP program and what steps they need to take to apply.

Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit organization that works nationwide to represent the needs and interests of solar owners and supporters. Solar co-ops are part of the organization’s mission to create a new energy system with rooftop solar at the cornerstone. Solar United Neighbors holds events and education programs to help people become informed solar consumers, maximize the value of their solar investment, and advocate for fair solar policies.

Ladder Safety: Make it a priority in March

by Shield Wall Media Staff

150+ workplace fatalities and 22,000 injuries can be prevented

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ladder deaths accounted for 161 on-the-job fatalities in 2020, the most recent year for which statistics are available. That same year, there were 22,710 ladder-related workplace injuries, an injury stat that has remained relatively constant over the previous several years. The point is, ladder safety is a serious topic, with a staggering cost to business and even worse impact on families that lose loved ones.

March is National Ladder Safety Month, spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute (ALI). This, its seventh year, will focus on four key themes:

·         Week One – Choosing Your Ladder

·         Week Two – Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up)

·         Week Three – Safety While Climbing

·         Week Four – Safety at the Top

ALI believes ladder accidents are preventable with thorough safety planning, training, and continuous innovation in product design. The more people, organizations, and businesses that get involved, the wider the message spreads, and the more people learn about proper ladder safety. 

ALI’s Ladder Safety Training site, https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/, makes safety training easy with an organized curriculum, a video and resource library, and free registration. 

Because every life saved is precious, the goals of National Ladder Safety Month are to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities, increase the number of ladder safety training certificates issued by ALI, increase the frequency that ladder safety training modules are viewed on  https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/, lower the rankings of ladder-related safety citations on OSHA’s yearly “Top 10 Citations List,” increase the number of in-person ladder trainings, and increase the number of companies and individuals that inspect and properly dispose of old or damaged ladders.

Every step matters. From step stools to extension ladders, make sure you’re putting the right foot forward. This March, National Ladder Safety Month, is the perfect time to step up ladder safety efforts and direct employees to take courses on https://www.laddersafetytraining.org/.

About the American Ladder Institute

Founded in 1947, the American Ladder Institute (ALI) is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to promoting safe ladder use through ladder safety resources, safety training, and the development of ANSI ladder safety standards. ALI also represents the common business interests of its members, who are comprised of the leading ladder and ladder component manufacturers in the United States and Canada. National Ladder Safety Month, observed each March and spearheaded by ALI, is the only program dedicated exclusively to promoting ladder safety at home and at work. https://www.americanladderinstitute.org/.

Submit construction-related news to editor Karen Knapstein.