Energy District Grants for Farmers
DRC Sponsor: John Moeller
Steve Hopkins serves as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy in America (REAP) Program Manager and Energy Coach for Winneshiek County in association with the Winneshiek Energy District (WED). He will be speaking about the partnership between WED and the nonprofit Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI) to offer free energy coaching to assist farms and small businesses in applying for USDA grant funding for renewable energy or energy efficiency improvement projects.
CEDI employs two Energy Coaches for the REAP program to serve the 13 Iowa counties with Energy Districts. Steve offers his coaching services in the counties of Allamakee, Cerro Gordo, Clayton, Dubuque, Howard, and Winneshiek.
Eligible projects for REAP renewable energy system grants include biomass, geothermal, small and large scale wind generation, and small and large scale solar generation. Eligible projects for REAP energy efficiency improvements include high efficiency heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) systems, insulation, lighting, cooling or refrigeration units, doors and windows, and replacement of energy-inefficient equipment. CEDI provides priority assistance to customers and communities that are traditionally underserved by the REAP program, including areas defined by USDA as disadvantaged communities and distressed communities.
Steve started as REAP Program Manager and Energy Coach with CEDI in the summer of 2024. He recently retired from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as Nonpoint Source Program Coordinator where he managed programs that supported watershed projects and water quality projects to improve Iowa’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Steve worked for Iowa DNR for 24 years and has worked in natural resource conservation for over 40 years. Steve also farmed in Iowa for 20 years and began one of the first dairy farms in northeast Iowa to use prescribed rotational grazing practices. He has a BA in Human Ecology from Luther College and an MS in Land Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also a graduate of the Iowa Certified Public Management Program at Drake University.
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**Please complete your noon meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.