Governor Rendell Announces $1.5 Million in Grants to Fund Innovative Green Energy Projects

Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced $1.5 million in investments for six projects that will conserve or generate enough electricity over their lifetimes to power more than 2,000 homes for one year.

The grants were awarded through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) with funds made available through the settlement of a ratepayer case between Duquesne Light Company and the Public Utility Commission.

"Energy is one of the largest annual expenditures for business and government, and any effort to control and reduce those expenses increases efficiency and keeps taxes and operating costs to a minimum," Governor Rendell said. "With funds from the Duquesne Light settlement, we were able to leverage private and other funds for a total investment of more than $4.7 million in energy efficiency and conservation projects."

The six grants awarded today will generate more than 20.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1,330 tons per year. That's equivalent to removing 231 passenger cars from our highways.

Under the terms of the 2006 ratepayer settlement, PEDA will receive $6 million for energy projects that will directly benefit ratepayers in the Duquesne Light Company's service area. To date, the settlement has funded eight projects. The money is being distributed over a four-year period ending in 2010.

The grants were available for non-residential entities such as business and industry, schools, non-profit organizations and local governments. A total of 16 applications were received and scored based on factors including technical and financial feasibility, and environmental benefits. Successful applicants included four energy efficiency projects and two geothermal projects.

Governor Rendell revived the long-dormant PEDA in 2004 to help spark innovation and economic development in Pennsylvania's energy industry. Since 2005, PEDA has approved 203 grants and loans totaling more than $40 million for clean energy projects that are leveraging an estimated $126 million in other investments.

"By investing in these projects, we are investing the future of all citizens of Pennsylvania," said Governor Rendell. "These and other projects like them are helping to conserve and generate energy, and stimulate our economy by creating jobs and growing the green energy industry in Pennsylvania. These are the types of projects that are putting us on the road to energy independence."

For more information on PEDA call the Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Energy and Technology Deployment at 717-783-8411.

Media contacts:
Teresa Candori, DEP; 717-787-1323
Gary Tuma, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116


Editor's Note: Following is a list of the six Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority projects by county:

Allegheny

Thar Geothermal Inc. -- $249,902 to install a 20-ton air conditioning system as the second step in a three-step development process. The project, at a City of Pittsburgh police station, will use high-pressure carbon dioxide as a refrigerant in place of traditional coolants.

Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind -- $250,000 to replace 357 windows and upgrade the HVAC system to a chilled-water cooling system. The project will allow the school to stop using 64 window air conditioning units.

School District of Pittsburgh -- $250,000 to replace exterior building and parking lot lights at 20 schools with high intensity discharge LED lights.

Community College of Allegheny County -- $250,000 to fund a multi-campus lighting upgrade project which will benefit four campuses and two educational centers by replacing existing outdoor lights with LED lighting.

County of Allegheny Department of Public Works -- $250,000 to install a large-scale geothermal cooling system at a county-owned nursing home. Replacing the old inefficient system will reduce electricity consumption by as much as 50 percent.

Lawrence

Axion Power International Inc. -- $248,650 to install a 500-kilowatt battery storage system, two 14.7 kilowatt parking lot solar arrays and a solar-to-electric vehicle charging station. The project will demonstrate the effectiveness of coupling renewable energy generation and energy storage to reduce electricity demand and peak generation needs.