100-Acre Solar Farm Planned Near Pa. Turnpike

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Franklin County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ROXBURY, PA — A seasoned wind farmer is planning to build one of the largest solar farms on the East Coast in northern Franklin County.

Orion Renewable Energy Group LLC, based in Oakland, Calif., plans to lease parts of three hay and crop farms just south of the Blue Mountain Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) and reap the sun’s rays.

The 14 megawatt project in Lurgan Township would be more than twice the size of Pennsylvania’s largest (6 MW) solar farm currently under construction in East Drumore Township, Lancaster County.  Covering about 103 acres, the photovoltaic panels would produce enough electricity to power 2,000 to 2,500 homes, according to Ed Shoener of Shoener Environmental, Dickson City.

“This is a sunny spot in Pennsylvania,” he said.  ”There is a market for renewable energy in Pennsylvania.  It’s a good place to tie into the power lines and the Roxbury substation.”

Read more: 
http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-solar-farm-pa-turnpike-0828-20120829,0,3432039,full.story

Duquesne University Switches To Pennsylvania Wind Power

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For several years now, Duquesne University has used a cogeneration plant driven by waste heat from its heating and cooling facility to cover 80 percent of its electricity needs. The remaining 20 percent was supplemented through wind power. About one third of that wind power was generated in Pennsylvania, the rest was from out of state.

Starting this month, the university has switched to getting all of that wind energy from sources within Pennsylvania. That energy plan, said university officials, makes the campus unique.

“The fact that we generate and capture that energy that’s usually wasted up the stack, we capture that, so our process is 70 percent efficient, compared to power plants that are only 35 percent efficient,” said George Fecik, executive director of facilities management at Duquesne.

Read more:
http://www.essentialpublicradio.org/story/2011-12-19/duquesne-university-switches-pennsylvania-wind-power-9729

Dauphin County Officials Unveil $5.4M Solar Farm

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Nearly three years after the project was conceived, Dauphin County commissioners today ceremoniously flipped the switch on a 1-megawatt solar farm in Middle Paxton Township.

The $5.4 million project, installed by Media-based InfraSource Services Inc., consists of 4,340 solar panels that will produce about 1.4 million kilowatts of electricity per year…

To read the rest of the story, click here:
http://centralpennbusiness.com/article/20111003/CPBJ01/111009985&source=RSS?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Marcellus Shale Fueling Station To Possibly Be Constructed In Williamsport

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Williamsport is right in the middle of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale natural gas boom.  The city is looking to build a compressed natural gas fueling station on W. Third Street, at the River Valley Transit headquarters.  The fueling station would become a destination for vehicles that run on compressed natural gas.  Currently a gallon of compressed natural gas is about a 1/3 the price of gasoline.

Williamsport is working with Lafayette, LA.  Lafayette has already converted their fleet vehicles to natural gas.  Williamsport would like to convert all city vehicles to natural gas.  Lafayette is sharing information with Williamsport, at no cost, as an educational tool.  In addition to county vehicles, school district vehicles and businesses could benefit from gas-powered vehicles. 

Williamsport has applied for many grants to make this fueling station a reality. Williamsport has the infrastructure for natural gas transmission to the new facility, if constructed.  The fueling station would cost about $4 million.  Depending on usage, the operator of the fueling station could even receive a percentage of the natural gas used.

Lycoming County Commissioner, Jeff Wheeland, also on the Governor’s Marcellus Shale Commission, Williamsport Mayor, Gabriel Campana, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce CEO, Vincent Matteo and River Valley Transit GM and City Director of Administration Williams Nichols are all proponents of Williamsport looking for ways to benefit from the natural gas industry.

East Liberty Home Remodel And Conversion Will Be Pittsburgh’s First Net-Zero House

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The East Liberty section of Pittsburgh is undergoing a great redevelopment wave.  A vacant home at 710 North St. Clair Street, which had been converted into multiple units, is being restored and returned to a single family.  The 100-year-old home is a total gut and remodel.

Not only will this home be again occupied by a family, but it is making history as the first net-zero home in the City of Pittsburgh.  A net-zero home means you will not have an electric bill (unless you waste power).  East Liberty Development Inc. is having a contractor remodel the home.  It will sell for $275,000, which is on the expensive side for Pittsburgh.  However, it is a three-story Colonial Revival so you are getting a nice-sized home for the money.  East Liberty Development Inc. has renovated 155 homes in East Liberty and it has made a huge difference.

Energy efficiency is important when renovating older homes.  The current project will feature solar panels which will also heat water.  The yearly heating bill is expected to be $215 dollars.  The electric bill is expected to be zero.  If any excess power is generated it can be sold back to Duquesne Light for a credit on the homeowner’s bill.  There is no energy storage so the home is hooked up to Duquesne Light and will have a monthly service fee in the event no excess power is generated to cover the fee.

A boiler will provide radiant heat under the first floor and in baseboard radiators on the second and third floors.  A heat recovery ventilator will be installed that exchanges air without using energy.  This will be combined with a special insulation package that is designed to maximize heating efficiency.  The paint will be VOC free and the home will also collect and store rain water.

If this project goes well and the home sells, more will follow.

Pittsburgh Building Comprehensive Growth Plan With Participation From Thousands Of Residents

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Pittsburgh is establishing a comprehensive growth plan to “right size” the city after years of population loss.  Year one has already been completed with thousands of residents taking part in helping to shape a way forward for Pennsylvania’s second largest city.

This plan, which is expected to be completed in 2014, will focus on the following areas in order:

Open spaces and parks – wrapping up

Cultural heritage and preservation – up and running

The next ten have yet to be started:

Transportation

Public art

Design

Energy

City-owned buildings

Infrastructure

Economic development

Housing

Education

Zoning

Land Use

The Pittsburgh planning department is enthusiastically seeking participation from city residents!  The cost of this long-range plan is $2.3 million dollars.  Cities are not required to submit comprehensive plans but they can opt to do so.  Only a handful of cities have done this.  Pittsburgh is once again being a leading innovator in their approach to managed growth and sustainability.

These components were not accidentally chosen.  Open space is first because vacant land use will influence every other category on the list.  Pittsburgh has 5,500 acres of open space.   Half is parks and 14,000 vacant lots make up the rest.  Pittsburgh realizes that green space has an impact on property values.

These meetings last two hours and are held on various nights and in several locations around Pittsburgh to maximize citizen involvement.

Pittsburgh is consistently ranked as one of America’s most livable cities.

Philly Gets Two BIG Stimulus Grants

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The City of Philadelphia got some great news this week in terms of grant money received for two projects.    

The Department of Energy awarded Philadelphia a $129 million dollar grant to establish an energy hub at the Navy Yard.  This energy hub will create green technology.  The project is expected to create 1,200 jobs immediately and another 100,000 in ten years!    

The Urban Affairs Coalition was awarded an $11.8 million dollar grant to bring broadband internet access to low-income city residents.    

Way to go out there and get funding!