Wyden, Merkley: Nearly $145,000 to Fort George Brewery for Solar Panel Project to reduce carbon footprint

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Fort George Brewery in Astoria will receive a $144,460 federal rural development grant to install a large roof-mounted solar panel that will cut its energy use by more than two-thirds.

“I am proud to see Oregon businesses like Fort George set their sights on fighting the climate crisis as they continue to produce iconic Oregon products,” Wyden said. “Cheers to Fort George for earning this federal investment in solar energy. I will continue to work with businesses around Oregon to move to renewable energy, making it more affordable to do business while protecting our environment.”

“Who doesn’t love drinking one of Oregon’s world-renowned craft-beers?” said Senator Merkley, who created the REAP program. “And Oregon’s craft beers taste even better when you know they're made with clean, renewable energy. This funding to Fort George Brewery will not only support our thriving craft-beer industry with lower energy costs, but also cut back on dangerous carbon pollution.”

This Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be used to help Fort George Brewery in Astoria buy and install a 560-kilowatt roof-mounted solar panel.

The system will generate 615,222 kilowatt hours of renewable electricity per year, enough to power 33 homes. The solar array will replace 68% of Fort George’s energy with renewable electricity, reducing its utility bill by $36,913 per year. Fort George has already contributed nearly $1.2 million to this project.