The economic and environmental benefits of solar power are magnified when coupled with heat pumps, which dramatically reduce the use of oil or propane while performing two to three times more efficiently than traditional electric heating and providing cooling at half the cost of a traditional window unit.
The project benefited from a USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant. The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or energy efficiency improvements.