West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund and the PA Wilds Center will host a “Breakfast with the Fund” seminar December 15 in Kane, McKean County to present funding opportunities for clean energy projects for both private sector entities and non-profits.

The WPPSEF Breakfast with the Fund will take place at the Laughing Owl Press Co., 59 N Fraley Street in Kane, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. Light refreshments will be served.

WPPSEF provides investment capital for clean energy projects that benefit the West Penn Power ratepayer.

The Fund will present on their open Request for Proposals (RFP) for innovative clean energy projects seeking non-traditional funding opportunities with flexible terms. The deadline to submit proposals is February 27.

The PA Wilds Center, a regional nonprofit, received a $23,800 grant from WPPSEF to create educational materials to raise awareness about several LEED-certified nature tourism facilities that have opened in the Pennsylvania Wilds in recent years.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.

“Sustainable energy is a theme weaved throughout the PA Wilds work,” said Ta Enos, Executive Director of the PA Wilds Center. “We are thrilled to partner with WPPSEF for the December 15 Breakfast with the Fund to help connect other complementary clean energy projects in the Wilds with new potential funding sources. Stewardship and conservation is a large, collaborative, long-term effort; I hope many stakeholders take advantage of the WPPSEF December 15th program to learn more.”

The seminar will also feature the debut of a short video on the Pennsylvania Wilds titled “Life Above 80,” that overviews the successful stewardship partnership between the PA Wilds Center and WPPSEF.

The professionally produced video is a part of WPPSEF’s signature “The Quiet Ones” series spotlighting successful clean energy investments in the region. Other projects highlighted in “The Quiet Ones” series include the Elk Country Visitor Center, Geisinger Medical Center, and Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh.

“We are at the beginning of revitalizing regional marketing for the Pennsylvania Wilds; as part of that work, we are launching a dedicated stewardship platform that celebrates the active conservation work taking place in the Wilds, opportunities to get involved, and vital storytelling on the rich heritage of stewardship in the region,” said Enos. “Our partnership with WPPSEF is helping us communicate the vital role of conservation to a larger audience. Our high performance visitor centers travel promotion will get people out and into these buildings where they can learn about and see clean energy practices in practice.

“We are a region that inspires folks to get outdoors and appreciate nature, and the stewardship work takes this inspiration one step further - showing the critical role we all play - as organizations, communities, businesses, and individuals – to preserve our natural resources for future generations,” Enos added.

The Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, a key stakeholder in the effort to grow nature and heritage tourism in the Pennsylvania Wilds, is committed to green building design and construction at its facilities as well as other energy efficiency initiatives. DCNR currently has has 15 LEED-certified buildings in the state; 7 of these facilities are in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.

They include the Elk Country Visitor Center, Bald Eagle Nature Inn, Sproul State Forest Resource Management Center, Clear Creek State Forest Resource Management Center, Sinnemahoning State Park Wildlife Center, Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitor Center and Park Office, and the Tiadaghton State Forest Resource Management Center.

Space is limited at the December 15th breakfast, and participants must register in advance. Click Here to register for the event, and view the WPPSEF RFP.

“We are proud to continue our investments in PA Wilds, and look forward to meeting new players in the region on December 15th that are committed to clean energy practices that support both long-term economic growth and environmental stewardship of this special region of the Commonwealth,” said Joel Morrison, WPPSEF Director.

For more information on PA Wilds initiatives, visit the PA Wilds Center website.  The PA Wilds includes the counties of Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Clinton, Elk, Cameron, Forest, Clearfield, Clarion, Jefferson and northern Centre.

(Photo: A 20KW solar PV system funded by West Penn at Saint Vincent College.)

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