PA Promoting Energy Efficiency

I received this press release courtesy of Senator Rob Wonderling's office. Pennsylvania is trying to increase energy efficiency among small businesses, which is particularly critical, given that these businesses often lack the resources to become more energy efficient. Check out the press release below:

Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program Now Open
Department of Environmental Protection acting Secretary John Hanger is proud to announce an opportunity for Pennsylvania’s small businesses to improve their energy efficiency and manage higher energy prices.
The new Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program provides a 25 percent match, up to $25,000, for equipment or processes that significantly improve energy efficiency. The program is the first available through the Alternative Energy Investment Fund, part of Governor Edward G. Rendell's Energy Independence Strategy.

Grants will apply to energy efficiency improvements on systems such as lighting, heating, cooling, refrigeration and process machinery, as well as building insulation and weatherization improvement projects.

An eligible applicant must be an independent, for-profit business with 100 employees or fewer, located in Pennsylvania. The project must save at least 20 percent annually in energy-related expenses, with a minimum savings of $1,000 per year. Examples of eligible small businesses include manufacturers, retailers, service providers, mining businesses and agricultural operations.

The grant application and guidelines are available online at www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant, or by contacting the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Energy and Technology Deployment, 15th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, P. O. Box 8772, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8772, or by e-mail at ra-sbgrants@state.pa.us.

Applications will be accepted through May 1, 2008. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. A total of $3 million is available for this grant round.

In addition to the Small Business Energy Efficiency Program, the state will unveil a number of new energy conservation programs and alternative energy investment programs in the next couple of months that will benefit the state’s power consumers at work and at home and protect the environment.