The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) is offering a second round of its Georgia Agricultural Irrigation Motor (AIM) Program, an incentive program designed to help Georgia farmers become more energy-efficient. The Georgia AIM Program will provide farmers with a rebate to replace inefficient diesel irrigation engines with energy-efficient electric irrigation motors.

The rebates will cover 25 percent of eligible project costs, with a $10,000 maximum rebate available. The application period for the program opens online December 4. Available funding is limited and rebates will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until February 15, 2014.

The first round of the program awarded 34 farmers throughout the state with rebates totaling $154,309. The new installations are projected to save 30,167 MMBtus of energy and reduce annual diesel fuel consumption by 217,029 gallons.

Earlier this year, the Nebraska Public Power District launched a test program to use solar energy to provide electricity for center pivot irrigation systems.