USDA Feasibility Study for Solar and Renewable Energy in Delaware
NAICS 221114
Solar and renewable energy projects in rural Delaware run through REAP, and poultry-house solar is the state's most active USDA lane: eight of twelve grants in USDA's October 2024 Delaware round went to poultry farms. An independent USDA feasibility study consultant quantifies energy production and offset value, benchmarks installed cost, and projects financials under the post-completion grant rule.
Program Fit
REAP is the primary program; under the revised rule effective October 16, 2026, grants cover at most 25 percent of project cost and are paid only after 12 months of operating data, so the full system must be financed up front.
What the Study Covers
Framed to the scope required by 7 CFR Part 5001 Appendix A for OneRD guaranteed loan submissions.
- Market demand and competitive supply analysis
- Technical and site feasibility, including environmental considerations
- Five to ten year financial projections with DSCR, DCF, and sensitivity analysis
- Management and operational capacity assessment
- Economic feasibility and rural community impact
Delaware Market Evidence
Delaware's October 2024 REAP round totaled $2,360,487 across 12 grants, with poultry farms taking 71.6 percent of dollars for 1,657.84 kW of solar; bridge or permanent financing for the full system cost and the cropland-solar restriction drive the analysis. Because the Philadelphia urbanized area reaches into New Castle County, eligibility in Delaware is parcel-specific north of the C&D Canal, while Kent and Sussex counties are broadly eligible; USDA sets rural determinations at the census level, so sponsors should confirm the exact project parcel against USDA's rural-area determination before relying on eligibility.
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