Grant Funding Will Help Small Businesses Implement Energy-Saving, Pollution-Prevention Technologies

Governor Edward G. Rendell continued his strong focus on energy conservation and the environment today with the award of 19 grants totaling nearly $116,000 to help small business.

The Small Business Advantage grants will help companies buy new equipment or implement new processes that will conserve energy, reduce costs and promote pollution prevention.

"As energy prices reach new highs, more and more businesses are leading the way to conserve energy, save money and clean up the environment," Governor Rendell said. "If we want a strong economy, a better environment for future generations and enhanced homeland security, it is critical that energy conservation becomes a priority."

Small Business Advantage grants provide a 50 percent match of up to $7,500 for equipment or processes that reduce energy consumption and promote pollution prevention while increasing profitability. The program, which Governor Rendell launched in July 2004, has been extremely popular, awarding more than $1 million to more than 400 recipients across the state.

The program has been so successful that although it was expected to close Jan. 6, the Department of Environmental Protection stopped receiving applications in November due to the vast number of requests for funding. The first round of grants last year closed five months before its scheduled deadline as well for the same reason. The next grant round for Small Business Advantage is expected to open July 1.

"It is clear that small business owners understand the importance of energy conservation. They are putting in place new technologies and processes to reduce operational costs," DEP Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty said. "The Governor's leadership and the willingness of our business community to embrace innovation are keeping Pennsylvania at the national forefront of energy development and deployment."

The Small Business Advantage Grant Program is part of Governor Rendell's larger effort to put in place policies and financial tools designed to promote advanced energy projects in the state.

Through Pennsylvania EDGE -- Energy Deployment for a Growing Economy -- Governor Rendell is providing regulatory and financial incentives to shut down older, dirtier, inefficient power plants and re-power with advanced coal gasification technology.

The Governor launched the East Coast's first commercially viable biofuels storage and blending system in Highspire, Dauphin County. The plant will replace 3.2 million gallons of foreign oil with domestically produced biodiesel and will keep about $6 million worth of energy dollars in the commonwealth by reducing the state's need to purchase imported fuels.

Governor Rendell also made Pennsylvania a frontrunner in addressing the country's dependence on foreign oil by supporting the nation's first-ever waste-coal-to-diesel plant and creating a fuel consortium that will purchase nearly all of the cheaper, cleaner 40 million gallons of diesel fuel that will be produced at Waste Management and Processors Inc.'s facility in Schuylkill County.

Pennsylvania is home to one of the nation's most progressive alternative energy portfolio standards, ensuring that 18 percent of all energy generated comes from clean, efficient sources by the year 2020. Benefits include $10 billion in increased output for Pennsylvania, $3 billion in additional earnings and between 3,500 and 4,000 news jobs for residents over the next 20 years.

The Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Grant Program funds projects that build markets for advanced and renewable energy technologies that use biomass, wind, solar, small-scale hydroelectric, landfill methane, energy efficiency, coal- bed methane and waste coal. The program has awarded $15.9 million and leveraged another $43.7 million in private funds since its inception in May 2003.

Governor Rendell's Growing Greener II initiative provides significant resources to build on the success of other energy initiatives, including up to $10 million annually for the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, which has up to $1 billion available to provide financing to help build clean power and fuel plants. The Governor's newly created Renewable Agricultural Energy Council focuses on developing and expanding agricultural energy industries in Pennsylvania.

An executive order, "Energy Management and Conservation in the Commonwealth," ensures maximum efficiency in energy management and conservation in state facilities through the implementation of a centralized energy strategy. The Governor also has proposed a twice-a-year green sales tax holiday on the purchase of energy-efficient appliances to help families save about 30 percent on their annual utility bill.

More information about these energy initiatives as well as the Small Business Advantage Grant Program are available on DEP's Web site.