Five small farms in Clay and Cherokee Counties have been awarded cost-share grants for solar PV renewable energy systems through the WNC Energy Cost-share Assistance Program (energyCAP). The award is funded exclusively by NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. WNC energyCAP is a nonprofit project designed to help WNC farms and rural small businesses get grant funding for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency upgrades to their operation through a number of different sources. The project is administered in part by Southwestern Resource Conservation & Development Council, in partnership with three other RC&D Councils that cover the western counties of NC.

The winners of Spring 2017 Small Farm Energy Grants include River’s Edge Farm, Two Feathers Farm, and Hanging Dog Valley Nursery in Cherokee County, Hyatt Farm and Groves Farm in Clay County, and three other farms elsewhere in WNC.

This program still has funding available, and the next deadline is October 31st, 2017. If you would like to learn more about this energy grant and others, please contact Alex Arnold, the project coordinator, at alex@energycap.org or (828) 649-5115, or visit www.energycap.org.