Two area small farms have been awarded cost-share grants for on-farm energy projects 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 variety of different sources . The project is administered by Mountain Valleys 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 Sleight Family Farm in McDowell County, Colonial Acres Nursery in Transylvania County, and five other farms elsewhere in WNC. Sleight Family Farm has proposed an 8 KW solar system to power an indoor microgreen growing system, greenhouse fans, and other farm electric usage. Colonial Acres Nursery plans to install an innovative wood boiler system to provide underground heat for plant propagation using on-site wood waste.

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.