New podcast on cost-saving measures with Western United Dairies
California dairy farmers stand to save big on utility costs when they invest in new, energy-efficient equipment. The Agriculture Energy Savings Action Plan (AESAP) program can help by providing PG&E customers rebates for energy- and cost-saving equipment and upgrades. To spread awareness, Western United Dairies, a trade organization advocating for policies that support dairy businesses, promoted the AESAP on a recent episode of their podcast Seen & Herd.
Read on to learn the three main takeaways from Seen & Herd’s interview with AESAP representative and program manager for the Agriculture Incentive Program at TRC Andrew Gustafson. And don’t forget to listen to the full episode!
“AESAP offers rebates and custom incentives for pretty much anything that could save energy. Whether it’s retrofitting existing equipment or equipment you’re adding to an existing facility, we can provide incentive dollars.” said Gustafson.
Dairy farmers can receive rebates for a variety of energy-efficient equipment purchases
Dairy farmers can receive money back for purchasing new high-efficiency fans and variable frequency drives (VFDs), for example. Additionally, if a dairy business has an agricultural operation, then there are incentives available for equipment used to grow crops—if the equipment results in energy savings.
Financing options available to help you invest in more efficient equipment and technology
If you’ve identified energy-saving opportunities but are worried about the investment cost, then AESAP can help. PG&E offers on-bill financing that uses the money you save on energy to pay back the cost of purchasing new equipment over time. On-bill financing is a zero-interest loan, so you’ll only pay the equipment’s price tag.
GoGreen Financing is another way dairy businesses can secure funding to purchase energy-efficient equipment. The Small Business Financing program, a State of California initiative, offers financing with attractive terms for energy-saving improvement projects.
Need ideas on how to increase efficiency? The AESAP team can explore opportunities with you.
Dairy businesses interested in increasing the efficiency of their operations can work with AESAP representatives to identify energy waste and draw up a plan to address it. Engineers are on hand to make site visits, free of charge, to talk about the program and to identify potential project ideas. “We’re here to guide you towards an option that’s more efficient than the standard practice,” Gustafson said.
Listen to the full podcast below or search for Seen & Herd on your favorite podcast platform.
Posted September 21, 2022
