Project Traits
State: Kentucky
Congressional District: KY05
Organization Type: Commercial
Partner Organization(s) Type: None or Unknown
Energy Sector: Clean Power,
Energy Subsector: Solar,
Project Start Year: Unknown
Project Launch Year: Unknown
Government Support Received: Federal Grant [USDA Rural Energy for America Program] for Unknown Amount
Outcomes & Impacts
Private Investment: Unknown
Jobs Announced or Created: Unknown
People Served: Unknown
Projected Economic Impact: Unknown
The Inflation Reduction Act has enabled a Kentucky grocer to invest in solar energy, significantly reducing electricity costs. The store installed a 143kW solar array and a 60kWh battery, funded partly by a REAP grant. This investment is expected to save the store $15,000 annually, helping to keep it operational in a low-income community. The project highlights how federal incentives can support rural businesses in adopting clean energy solutions.
Long thinks Pic Pac might be the first grocery store in Kentucky to install solar with battery capacity to lower the high demand charges of refrigeration, deli ovens and fryers. A Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture funded 40% of the project.
The business is also eligible for a 30% federal tax credit on the 143kW solar array, with a longer depreciation because Pineville is a low-income community. The median household income in Pineville was $27,159 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.