This rural Arizona inn found a way to save $10,000 a year on energy bills

Solar panels have been on Anna May Cory’s mind for years. But she worried the expense of installing them would outweigh the long-term cost savings. All that changed last year when Cory found out about thousands of dollars in grants and tax credits available through the Inflation Reduction Act designed specifically to help rural businesses afford to upgrade their buildings to cut energy costs.

The 27-room Pines Inn and Suites sits a few miles southwest of Arizona’s famous Sedona red rocks in the 12,000-person town of Cottonwood. Cory moved to the community in search of a rural atmosphere, warmer temperatures and a friendly, small-town experience, which she now helps to foster.

Cory learned about federal assistance to install solar while attending the Green Business Boot Camp facilitated by Local First Arizona, a nonprofit that supports local businesses throughout the state. The seven-week program covers a series of sustainability topics, helping Cory realize she could tap into the federal funding passed by Congress in 2022 to cover the bulk of the costs that were holding her back. 

Cory was able to achieve essentially 70% off the solar installation cost with the help of a $32,000 reimbursement from the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and $23,000 in tax credits, both of which were made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act.