Sustainable Energy Fund’s $1.25 Million Aimed at Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 21, 2007

CONTACT:
pressroom@thesef.org

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUND HOSTS 2007 ANNUAL MEETING
(Allentown, PA) Long before it became trendy to be green, the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) was helping companies and communities get there. Last year SEF provided over $1.1 million in financing – and another $150,000 in grants – for 20 projects. Their support saved us from 6,900 tons of greenhouse gas emissions last year. That’s like removing 1,260 cars from our roads. That good news was shared at the Seventh Annual SEF board meeting held October 25 at Tek Park in Breinigsville, PA.

“The past year was exciting and challenging,” noted SEF President and CEO Jennifer Hopkins. “Over the next year, the SEF plans to continue our mission to promote, develop, and invest in clean energy initiatives to benefit residential, commercial, institutional and industrial customers within the PPL service territory and beyond. We look forward to new and exciting challenges next year.”

“Over the past year,” she added, “efforts were made to align SEF infrastructure, resources, and goals to the fulfillment of our mission. PRI projects are reviewed for financial sustainability, replicability, and feasibility,” she said.”
Major SEF investments included:

$750,000 for Pittsburgh-based Plextronics, which develops technology for organic solar cells.

$300,000 for Wanner Pride n’ Joy Farm in Lancaster. The 600-head dairy farm located in the Lancaster County, received funding for the installation of an anaerobic digester for electrical production and reduction of greenhouse gases.

$125,000 for Shazaam Realty of Kingston. The SEF committed to fund a portion of an energy-efficient building on Kingston’s Market Street. The Luzerne County business is demolishing an old building and erecting a 4,700 square foot modern energy efficient building on a 1.2 acre site.  

Municipal Assistance
During 2006-2007, SEF continued to provide a turnkey energy partnership funding to regional municipalities. Focused on traffic signals, SEF support starts with an energy audit then projects dollars saved by changing the traffic signals to light-emitting diodes (LED’s). SEF funds the audit and change-out with a loan, which municipalities repay through the saved dollars. The program is accomplished without cost to taxpayers. LED’s save 90 percent over traditional signals. Participating municipalities include Bloomsburg, Clarion, Hamburg, Minersville, Mount Carmel, Muhlenberg Township, Northampton, Pottsville, St. Clair and Shenandoah.

Grants Awarded
Also during the 2006-2007 business year, the SEF approved financing for the following project:

City of Allentown, Lehigh County: $5,000. Light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures, a first for eastern Pennsylvania, were installed outside Allentown City Hall at no cost to the City. An SEF demonstration project, the LED lights are expected to have an operating life from 50,000 to 100,000 hours making them virtually maintenance free. 

Solar Scholars: $81,802. Through the SEF’s Solar Scholars™ Program, Pennsylvania college students design and implement photo-voltaic (PV) technology systems on their campuses to generate electricity. Six participating schools are Bucknell, Clarion, Mercyhurst, Messiah, Penn State and Villanova.

Pine Street Housing, Hazleton, Luzerne County: $33,000. The grant assists Hazelton’s Pine Street Neighborhood Project create 25 single-family green homes using renewable energy, energy conservation and efficiency, sustainable energy design, materials and construction methods. The model project is the first of its kind in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

AFC First Financial, Allentown, Lehigh County: $5,000. This grant enabled AFC First Financial to sponsor seminars for home contractors promoting the Keystone Help Loan Program. Part of a Webinar effort, the goal is to make contractors aware of the loan program. Over 1,000 loans resulted from the seminars.

Wilson College, Chambersburg, Franklin County: $11,588. SEF funding helped develop and deliver a hands-on demonstration of renewable energy in wind, PV, and solar. Also included in the grant is the development of a sustainable energy curriculum for an undergraduate course and community workshops.

Twin Valley School District, Elverson, Chester County: $12,250. Elverson’s Twin Valley School District designed and built an aesthetically pleasing, energy efficient educational facility. The new Twin Valley Elementary Center, a model for high performance green building, will be open to other schools and businesses for tours and information

Tides Center (PCIEP), Allegheny County: $1,908. SEF enabled PCIEP to assist 10 member colleges and universities complete campus greenhouse gas inventories.  

SEF President Hopkins noted that plans for 2007-2008 are very exciting. “The vision of the Sustainable Energy Fund remains strong. We are currently working on establishing a residential energy program that would benefit the ratepayers of PPL,” she noted. “We are analyzing different options and hopefully will develop an ongoing program to help residential rate payers manage energy costs.

“We are also implementing a strategy to financially support small business in preparation of the PPL rate cap removal slated for January 1, 2010. We are working with other partners and hope to unveil a new program in the coming year.

About SEF
SEF benefits residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial customers in the PPL service territory and beyond. The non-profit organization is dedicated to the use of renewable energy, clean energy technologies, and energy conservation and education. Founded in 1999 by the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission (PUC), the SEF promotes clean and renewable energy initiatives and enterprises to benefit customers within the PPL service territory and throughout Pennsylvania.

SEF develops economically viable, energy-related businesses, projects and educational initiatives. Their goal is to create innovative, market-based technologies and solutions for environmentally sound and sustainable energy usage. SEF can provide financial assistance and attractive funding options including commercial loans and grants, business partnerships and equity investments.