NEWS

LED Traffic Light Signal Conversion Project Funds Allocated - Thursday, August 13, 2009

The ERC distributed $125,000 to 38 municipalities as reimbursement for 62% of the cost of their LED traffic signal equipment associated with the LED Traffic Signal Conversion Project. These municipalities in 8 counties participated in an LED traffic signal technology bulk purchase consortium organized by the ERC in partnership with PennDOT Districts 2-0 and 3-0. Because of the large volume of equipment purchased, the ERC was able to negotiate a 25% reduction over the posted COSTARS pricing of the LED equipment. The ERC procured grants from the federal Appalachian Regional Commission and the Department of Community & Economic Development’s Governor’s Center for Local Government Services to further allay the cost of the LED equipment to participating municipalities.

LED traffic lights use about 85% less energy than incandescent lights, resulting in an annual cost decrease of approximately $800 per intersection. As a result of the LED Traffic Signal Conversion Project, virtually all of the signalized intersections in SEDA-COG’s 11-county region now operate using energy-sipping LED technology.

PA Conservation Works! Opens - Wednesday, July 15, 2009

PA Conservation Works! (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant) opens for application on July 17. The Application period will extend until August 14. Grant award decisions will be announced soon after. Eligible applicants include local governments, universities, and non-profit organizations. Successful projects are shovel ready, will create or retain jobs, and will reduce energy consumption by a minimum of 25%. Applicants must also conduct an energy assessment as a part of the requirements of the grant. View detailed grant eligibility requirements for a complete list of requirements and eligible projects.

PA Sunshine Program Opens for Grant Applications - Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The PA Sunshine Program Solar PV has opened to receive applications. The solar thermal portion of the program is expected to open by the end of the week of May 18th. Created to help small businesses and homeowners install solar PV or solar thermal units, funding will be distributed in the form of rebates. Applications cannot be filled out by the homeowner or small business; they must choose from a list of approved contractors who will fill out the application for a specific project. $100 million has been made available throught the Commonwealth as well as through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

NEW INCENTIVES WILL GROW PA’S SOLAR INDUSTRY, PUT PEOPLE TO WORK IN GREEN JOBS, SAYS GOV. RENDELL - Tuesday, April 14, 2009

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s efforts to attract solar energy manufacturers to the state, spur an increase in projects that harness the sun’s power, and create green collar jobs took a major step forward today, according to Governor Edward G. Rendell.

The Governor said under new guidelines approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, Pennsylvania businesses, economic development organizations and political subdivisions now can apply for a share of a new $80 million program for solar energy.

Welcome to the new ERC Website - Wednesday, January 28, 2009

SEDA-COG's Energy Resource Center is excited to announce the launch of our new website! Please explore our new layout, updated information, and new sections! Of special note are our new Financial Assistance pages, with links to grants, loans, tax credits and more; our client pages, providing you with customized energy information; and our new section dedicated to renewable energy! Enjoy, and let us know if you have any feedback!

Geothermal and Wind Energy Funding- now open - Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Funding is now available for businesses, economic development organizations, and political subdivisions (counties, municipalities, school districts) to pursue projects involving geothermal and wind energy. Eligible projects include the installation of either wind or geothermal energy systems, and projects involving manufacturing facilities for wind turbines and other energy components.

Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program Now Open! - Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program, administered by DEP's Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, provides a 25 percent reimbursement grant, up to a maximum of $25,000, to enable small commercial and industrial businesses (100 employees or fewer) to acquire equipment or adopt processes that promote energy efficiency. The reimbursement grants can be applied toward the cost of purchasing and installing numerous energy efficient items and systems, including geothermal heat pumps; energy efficient HVAC, lighting, and refrigeration systems; insulation and air sealing projects; etc.

A total of $3mil is available for this grant round, and grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply soon! Grants will be accepted through May 1, 2009.

Home Energy Assesment - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The following first appeared in The Daily Item, Sunbury, on November 16, 2008

Farida Zaid doesn’t want to find out how much the price of oil has gone up after paying close to $1,700 for 1,000 gallons of heating oil this past year for her half-double house in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. So she has decided to make her multi-story residence more energy efficient.