EERE Success Story—Reducing Energy Costs in Kansas Food Markets and Grocery Stores

The Kansas State Energy Office, with an investment from the U.S. Department of Energy's State Energy Program, is helping to mitigate operating cost burdens for rural food markets and grocery stores by providing energy audits to help store owners better understand how they can reduce energy costs.

Rural communities sometimes lack options when it comes to the services they need from local businesses. In Kansas, if a local grocery store in a rural community closes, customers may have to travel 50 miles until they reach the next grocery store. Because of this unique challenge, it is important for local businesses to reduce costs wherever possible in order to stay profitable.

In partnership with the Kansas State Energy Office, the Kansas State University Engineering Extension performed the energy audits and helped identify potential energy efficiency measures in several stores across the state. The stores that received audits outlined the findings in applications for financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy Assistance Program to implement the energy efficiency measures.

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