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Up to $10,000 in grants are available for farmers served by Delaware Electric Cooperative.

October 16, 2019

2 Min Read
Aerial view of irrigation system in adjacent soybean and corn fields
CONVERTING IRRIGATION: The Delaware Department of Agriculture and Delaware Electric Cooperative are providing grants for farmers to convert diesel-powered irrigation systems to electric.stevanovicigor/Getty Images

The Delaware Department of Agriculture has partnered with the Delaware Electric Cooperative to launch a new irrigation grant program to help Delaware farmers install environmentally friendly irrigation systems.

The program will provide $10,000 in funding to farmers to convert diesel-powered irrigation systems to electric.

Under the program, Delaware Electric Cooperative will offer farmers up to $5,000 to cover the cost of running electric to converted systems. Funding from the ag department will provide up to an additional $5,000 to cover costs, including parts and labor associated with the electric motor and starter installation, removal of the existing gear head and components, and electrician costs involved in the irrigation system conversion.

The grants are only available to farmers served by Delaware Electric Cooperative.

“The availability of this program is important to Delaware family farms that are still utilizing diesel-powered irrigation systems to water their crops,” says Michael T. Scuse, agriculture secretary of Delaware. “There are approximately 500 of these systems remaining throughout the state. By replacing them with more energy-efficient electrical systems, there will be a decrease in carbon emissions, thereby improving air quality and a reduction in noise pollution. The conversion will help to increase farmers’ long-term profitability and the ability to utilize smart technology.”

Additional savings

Farmers who receive a grant from the Delaware Electric Cooperative will also save money by participating in the co-op’s load control program, which allows the co-op to cycle-off power to irrigation units during peak energy usage times. Participants in the load control program typically enjoy a savings of 18% to 25% on their energy bills.

According to Bill Andrew, president and CEO of Delaware Electric Cooperative: “This new program will allow Delawareans to breathe cleaner air and will also help to lower the cost for farmers to irrigate their crops. Electric-powered irrigation pivots are cheaper to operate and maintain than diesel systems and have less of an impact on the environment.”

Requirements

To be eligible for the program, proposed irrigation systems must have a minimum 20-kilowatt load. Farmers will also be required to sign a contract for controlled load service with the co-op for 60 months.

For more information about the program, contact Tony Rutherford, manager of engineering, at 302-349-3144 or by email at [email protected].

Source: Delaware Electric Cooperative, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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