The grants were awarded through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) with funds made available through the settlement of a ratepayer case between Duquesne Light Company and the Public Utility Commission.
The six grants awarded are expected to generate more than 20.3mkWh of electricity and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1,330 tons per year.
Under the terms of the 2006 ratepayer settlement, PEDA will receive $6m for energy projects that will directly benefit ratepayers in the Duquesne Light Company’s service area. To date, the settlement has funded eight projects. The money is being distributed over a four-year period ending in 2010.
Governor Rendell said: ”Energy is one of the largest annual expenditures for business and government, and any effort to control and reduce those expenses increases efficiency and keeps taxes and operating costs to a minimum. With funds from the Duquesne Light settlement, we were able to leverage private and other funds for a total investment of more than $4.7 million in energy efficiency and conservation projects.”
Governor Rendell revived the PEDA in 2004 to help spark economic development in Pennsylvania’s energy industry. Since 2005, PEDA has approved 203 grants and loans totaling more than $40m for clean energy projects that are leveraging an estimated $126m in other investments.
