U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced recently that it is moving forward in the awards process on a clean energy project in Texas through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program. If approved, Bluestem Energy Solutions LLC, doing business as ETEC Solar and Battery, will use a $81.5 million investment to boost renewable energy solutions across multiple counties in East Texas, including Wood County.

“By investing in solar and battery storage systems, Bluestem will help build a cleaner future for East Texans while creating jobs and boosting local economies,” said acting USDA state director Daniel Torres said. “These awards also reinforce our commitment to long-term sustainability of our rural East Texas communities.”

The funding for USDA’s PACE program stems from the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936 as part of the New Deal. The Inflation Reduction Act partners with rural communities to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy.

Bluestem plans to use the investment to finance renewable energy solar facilities and battery energy storage system facilities in nine rural counties in East Texas: Wood, Cherokee, Anderson, San Augustine, Nacogdoches, Rusk, Houston, Smith and Shelby. The projects will generate enough energy to power 6,000 homes.

By using renewable energy from natural sources, this investment would make it more affordable for rural Texans to heat their homes, run their businesses, power cars, schools, hospitals and more.

In May 2023, USDA made $1 billion available through PACE to fund new clean energy projects and energy storage in rural America. The program provided low interest loans with up to 60% loan forgiveness to renewable energy developers, rural electric cooperatives and other rural energy providers for renewable energy storage and projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and biomass.

To date, USDA has selected 27 projects totaling more than $916 million to move forward in the PACE application process and USDA expects to continue making PACE awards in the coming months.