HARRISBURG, Pa., April 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved $6.5 million in New Alternative and Clean Energy investments, which will leverage nearly $40 million in private economic investment statewide.

Thirteen projects from 10 counties will receive funding for the utilization, development and construction of alternative and clean energy projects, acting Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development C. Alan Walker said.

"The investments made will help consumers, businesses and municipalities lower their energy bills by nearly $127,000 each year," Walker said. "One of the research and development grants approved April 7 may lead to great strides in renewable energy production and storage."

A $2 million grant will be issued to Power Source, LLC, located in Wayne County, toward the research and development of a sodium sulfur battery that will have six times the energy storage capacity and roughly eight times the life span of a standard lead acid battery. The batteries will be specifically designed to meet the large-scale energy storage needs of the renewable energy production industry. The total cost of the project is over $25 million with the state's $2 million investment leveraging over $23 million of private investment from Power Source, LLC.

The Alternative and Clean Energy Program provides financial assistance in the form of grant and loan funds for alternative and clean energy projects in the state. It is administered jointly by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

For more information on state investment programs available through the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit www.newpa.com or call 1-866-466-3972.

Media contact: Theresa Elliott, DCED; 717-783-1132

Editor's Note: The 13 alternative and clean energy and renewable energy projects approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority are listed below (potential costs savings are estimates calculated by DCED using standard industry methodology):  

Allegheny County

Accelergy Corporation will receive a $1.3 million alternative and clean energy program grant for the purchase and installation of a coal liquefaction validation unit, coal and bio-liquids unit, and photo bioreactors at the Pittsburgh Applied Research Center in Harmar Township. The validation and upgrading units will provide configurations for coal and waste coal conversions. The total project cost is $5.5 million.

Clarion County

Clarion Hospital will receive a $179,000 alternative and clean energy program loan for the purchase and installation of a chiller for its facility in Monroe Township. The chiller will replace a 29-year-old inefficient unit with a 325-ton chiller and a 235-ton cooking tower with two variable speed drives. The $358,000 project will reduce energy consumption by 335,000 kWh annually, and provide the hospital with an annual energy savings of $25,000.

Dauphin County

John and Christa Zitko will receive an $8,250 renewable energy program loan to assist with the installation of a $16,515 geothermal system in their Derry Township home. The closed-loop geothermal heating and cooling system will replace the home's aging electric heat pump. The Zitko's are expected to save $907 annually in heating costs.  

Erie County

Apple Shamrock Dairy Farm LLC will receive a $562,500 alternative and clean energy program grant for the purchase and installation of a 750 kW wind turbine in Steuben Township. The $2.6 million wind turbine is projected to produce 1,141,773 kWh of energy annually. The farm will consume 733,920 kWh a year, with the remaining electricity sold back to the grid. The turbine will help the farm hedge against the rising electricity cost and remain competitive in the dairy industry.

Greene County

Clean Green Hydro, LLC will receive three $31,250 alternative and clean energy program grants for the purchase and installation of three 25kW VFH In-Line Turbines at the following locations:

• The AMD Reclamation Inc.'s industrial treatment plant in Dunkard Township is at an abandoned mine, where the plant treats the water that fills the mine. Approximately 4 million gallons of water is pumped daily from the mine, treated and discharged. The new turbine will be installed at the discharge point of the wastewater treatment plant and produce 138,000 kWh of electricity annually. The electricity generated will be sold through a power purchase agreement
• The Dana Mining Company of Pennsylvania LLC's 4 West Mine in Dunkard Township treats and discharges 3.5 million gallons of water daily. The new turbine will be installed at the discharge point of the wastewater treatment plant and produce 120,000 kWh of electricity annually. The electricity generated will be sold through a power purchase agreement
• Duquesne Light Company's Warwick Mine Dewatering Plant in Monongahela Township treats and discharges 3.5 million gallons of water from daily. The new turbine will be installed at the discharge point of the wastewater treatment plant and produce 120,000 kWh of electricity annually. The electricity generated will be sold through a power purchase agreement.      

Clean Green Hydro, LLC, will receive a total of $93,750 of alternative and clean energy program grants for the three projects, leveraging $622,830 of private investment.

Luzerne County

Advance–Tec Materials LLC will receive a $182,352 alternative and clean energy program grant to assist with the purchase and installation of fly-ash based coal insulation manufacturing equipment in Hazle Township. The company plans to manufacture and develop the product, which can be used in the commercial and residential fire door, overhead door and refrigerated truck door industries, in Humboldt Industrial Park. The total project cost is $364,705 and the company expects to create 26 full-time jobs within three years.  

Philadelphia County

Pennsylvania State University will receive a $1 million alternative and clean energy program grant for the design, procurement and installation of Smart Grid research and development facilities at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Philadelphia. The university is developing a GridStar Center in partnership with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. The project will conduct research on the interaction of buildings, renewable energy, energy storage and electric vehicles with the grid. The total project cost is $5 million.  

Potter County  

Northern Potter School District will receive a $420,105 alternative and clean energy program loan to assist with the purchase and installation of energy efficient upgrades at two schools in Ulysses Township. The upgrades include HVAC system improvements, installing more energy efficient fluorescent lamps and lighting controls, building envelope improvements and installation of an energy management system. The $840,210 project is expected to result in an energy saving of 27 percent, saving the school district approximately $53,000 annually.

Schuylkill County

The Tamaqua Area School District will receive a $420,000 alternative and clean energy program loan to assist with the $4.6 million purchase and installation of a geothermal system at three school buildings in Tamaqua Borough and West Penn Township. The project will convert the buildings three HVAC systems to geothermal systems and help the buildings decrease energy consumption by over 50 percent, saving the school district approximately $127,000 annually in energy costs.  

The Tamaqua Area School District will also receive a $334,980 alternative and clean energy program loan to assist the purchase and installation of energy efficient upgrades at five school buildings located in Tamaqua Borough, Rush Township and West Penn Township. The upgrades include building envelope upgrades, including weather stripping doors, installing high-value insulation to reduce air leakage and sealing roof edges and roof-to-wall intersections. The project also includes the installation of direct digital HVAC system and low-e window film. The energy conservation measures will help the school district decrease energy consumption, saving the school district nearly $48,000 annually.

Wayne County

Power Source LLC will receive a $2 million alternative and clean energy program grant for a research and development project in Honesdale Borough. The assistance will help to develop a sodium sulfur battery for energy storage. The sodium sulfur battery has six-times the energy storage capacity and eight-times the lifespan of a standard lead acid battery. The total project cost is $25.6 million.  

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development