The Sustainable Energy Fund announced this week it has received approval from the Department of General Services for the state’s COSTARS program as a qualified supplier.

COSTARS is the Commonwealth’s cooperative purchasing program designed to assist local governments and other non-profit agencies to reduce their cost of doing business.

As a qualified vendor in the COSTARS program, The Sustainable Energy Fund’s products and services are now available to a list of 4550 local public procurement units throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. COSTARS members can now do business with the Sustainable Energy Fund for LED lights (light emitting diodes), installation and financing easily (no independent bidding required), efficiently, and cost effectively.

Local Government units and eligible non-profits can order LED’s through the COSTAR program on the Sustainable Energy Fund’s website.

COSTAR members include any political subdivision or authority; tax exempt, non-profit educational or public health institution or organization including non-profit fire, rescue or ambulance companies, as well as any other entity such as council of government or an area government that expends public funds for the procurement of supplies and services.

According to Jennifer Hopkins, SEF President, “There are plenty of opportunities for governmental entities to install LED’s which save energy and taxpayers’ money. COSTARS membership will facilitate awareness and make it easier for government to embark on energy savings projects.”

The SEF went through a governmental approval process with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services prior to being accepted as a qualified vendor. As an approved supplier, COSTAR members can come directly to the SEF for LED installation and financing while still satisfying local procurement policies for each local government unit.

The SEF provides a valuable product to municipalities, beginning with an energy audit which quantifies the savings associated with retrofitting traffic signals to LED’s, ordering product and managing the installation, to financing 100 percent of the cost associated with the installation. The SEF will provide the upfront capital required for the LED installation project through a loan, and the municipalities are able to repay the loan through the energy savings incurred associated with the switch to LED lenses.

Although terms are customized for each municipality, typically the municipality can repay the loan within five years, and maintain the energy savings throughout the remaining life of the equipment. Installation of LED’s can provide up to a 90 percent savings on lighting electricity bills, increase signal life up to 10 times over incandescent bulbs, and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Because LED modules have a guaranteed life expectancy of at least five years, and often last as long as ten years – they also eliminate the need for manpower and related costs for manually changing light bulbs. LED’s produce light using a semiconductor or “chip”, and can provide an average of 100,000 hours of illumination as compared to only 8,000 hours for an incandescent light bulb.

"Becoming a COSTARS supplier was the natural next step for the SEF in assisting local government in implementing energy savings projects,” said Hopkins. “Projects like these illustrate how municipalities throughout the Commonwealth can make a significant difference in reducing energy consumption and lower costs - one LED at a time. The SEF is delighted to contribute to the growth of these technologies through investment in innovation. Now, as a COSTARS vendor, LED installation projects will be smart and easy for local government units, while meeting governmental procurement policies.”

For more information about this and other programs, visit the Sustainable Energy Fund’s website

7/27/2007