Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday announced $16.1 million in funding was approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority for nine projects to promote energy efficiency, clean energy and energy infrastructure for homes and commercial buildings.

The projects were funded through CFA’s Alternative and Clean Energy, Pipeline Investment (PIPE) and Renewable Energy programs.

“Development of our energy infrastructure – whether through expanding access to natural gas, boosting the efficiency of buildings, or harnessing renewable energy resources like wind – are all vital to Pennsylvania’s economic health,” Gov. Wolf said. “These projects approved today won’t just support our business sector, but it will also help residents by improving school buildings, enabling access to gas energy in homes, and creating jobs, bringing countless benefits to communities.”

The approved projects include grants to support the purchase and installation of combined heat and power (CHP) systems, the renovation and construction of highly energy-efficient school buildings, the implementation of environmentally-friendly and economical manufacturing technology, and the purchase of wind turbines to harness renewable wind energy.

The projects also include installation of pipelines that will bring Pennsylvania’s abundant natural gas energy resources to more than 500 residential and commercial customers, boosting economic development in the areas where the projects are located.

The following nine projects were approved:

-- Centre County: State College Area School District was approved for a $1,737,720 grant through the Alternative and Clean Energy (ACE) program to assist with the costs of significant energy efficiency renovations at the Corl Elementary School in State College Borough. The 24,203-square-foot school, originally built in 1952, will be mostly demolished and reconstructed, with the undemolished portion of the building renovated. The result will be a 64,086-square-foot school with a high-efficiency geothermal HVAC system, LED lighting, efficient thermal envelope, daylight sensors, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The new building is anticipated to reduce energy consumption by 633 MMBtu and reduce water use by 255,464 gallons annually. The total project cost is $17,377,208.

-- Chester County: OxiCool, Inc., a manufacturer of air conditioners, was approved for a $730,000 grant through the ACE program to incorporate a manufacturing line for the company’s TruckCool line of products, which uses molecular sieve-based technology to create air conditioning units for sleeper cabs of heavy-duty trucks. The sieve-based technology, created in a joint venture between OxiCool, Inc. and the U.S. Navy, will reduce truck idling for continued cooling of the cab by utilizing a small amount of diesel fuel or an alternative energy like solar panels as a source for power. The TruckCool unit will reduce the use of diesel fuel during engine idling by 90 percent, resulting in a reduction of 2,268 gallons per unit annually, and it will also enable the unit to use water in place of chemicals as a refrigerant, thus further reducing chemical emissions. The ACE funding will be used to purchase the remaining equipment needed for the new manufacturing line. The increase in production capacity is expected to create 73 new jobs over the next three years. The total project cost is $2,551,715.

-- Cumberland County: Mechanicsburg Area School District was approved for a $1,589,234 grant through the ACE program for renovations and 46,600 square feet of new construction on the Shepherdstown Elementary School. The project will include a new high-efficiency heat pump HVAC system, installation of LED lighting and daylight sensors and existing building thermal envelope upgrades. The project is anticipated to reduce energy consumption by 584 MMBtu annually. The total project cost is $15,985,431.

-- Delaware County: LCP Generation Partners was approved for a $965,000 grant through the ACE program for the purchase and installation of a 2,000 kW CHP system on Villanova University's campus. The CHP project will offset approximately 17,520 MWhs per year of electricity and the waste heat from the system will produce steam and domestic hot water, a savings of 108 MMBtu annually. The electrical and thermal production offset will reduce Villanova University's usage by a combined 24 percent. The total project cost is $3,559,993.

-- Lebanon County: Bayer Healthcare, LLC was approved for a $1,171,000 grant through the ACE program to purchase and install a 2,000 kW CHP system at its operations facility in Myerstown. The CHP system will offset approximately 16,300 MWhs per year, which amounts to about 55 percent of anticipated annual electric use. The waste heat from the system will produce steam and domestic hot water, a savings of 117 MMBtu annually. The total project cost is $4,867,824.

-- McKean County: McKean County Commissioners was approved for a $1 million grant through the Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE) on behalf of International Wax Incorporated (IWI) for the construction of a natural gas pipeline to its refinery located in Keating Township. IWI is looking to convert its steam generation system at that facility from coal to gas, which will require the construction of the 8.5-mile pipeline. The total project cost is $2,512,549.

-- Philadelphia County: The School District of Philadelphia was approved for a $2 million grant through the ACE program for the construction of a new, highly-efficient 140,000-square foot elementary school in the city of Philadelphia. The project includes the demolition of the current Solomon Solis-Cohen Elementary School, originally constructed in 1948, and the construction of the new building, which will include a high-efficiency HVAC system, LED lighting, an efficient thermal envelope, daylight sensors, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The new building is expected to reduce energy consumption by 2,268 MMBtu and water consumption by 477,047 gallons annually. The total project cost is $57,659,505.

-- Somerset County: Mason Dixon Wind LLC was approved for a $7 million grant through the Renewable Energy Program to purchase 25 wind turbines for the construction of an 80 MW wind farm. The Mason Dixon Wind Farm will consist of seventeen 3.465 MW T84 turbines and eight 2.625 MW turbines, with an annual production of 229,852 MWh. The project will also include the installation of interconnection equipment, an access road, crane pads, and an operations building to house monitoring equipment. The total project cost is $103,663,658.

-- Wayne County: Wayne Economic Development Corporation was approved for a $1 million grant through the PIPE program to install more than 27,000 feet of natural gas pipeline from the existing line in Canaan Township that serves the federal penitentiary on Canaan Road to Waymart Borough. This extension will make natural gas available to 52 commercial and 451 residential customers, including the area’s largest employers, bringing a significant economic boost to the region. The total project cost is $2,031,900.

Applications for the CFA’s Alternative and Clean Energy, Pipeline Investment (PIPE) and Renewable Energy programs are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.  The next deadlines for applications are July 20 and September 15.

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[Posted: May 22, 2018]

5/28/2018