Producers Dairy Foods, Inc. in Fresno is one of seven food producers in the state awarded a total of $23 million to help reduce energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The grants, which were approved Wednesday, are funded through the Food Production Investment Program (FPIP), which is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that uses cap-and-trade dollars to help reduce GHG emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment, according to a news release from the California Energy Commission.

FPIP helps food producers adopt commercially available and emerging energy-efficiency, decarbonization, and renewable energy equipment upgrades or processes. It also funds technologies that support grid reliability during net peak periods. 

Producers Dairy Foods was awarded $2 million to install a refrigeration and compressed air system at its Fresno processing facility.

“We’re proud to support the food processing industry’s efforts to modernize its equipment to reduce harmful emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild. “These grants invest in projects that will help California continue to lead the way towards a clean energy future for all.”

Other businesses in the region receiving grants include Joseph Gallo Cheese Company in Merced County, granted $4.4 million to replace a refrigeration system, and Primex Farms, LLC in Kern County, granted $5 million to install a solar-power microgrid and battery energy storage system at its pistachio processing facility near Wasco.