Update on Energy Grant Programs – June 2019
Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D)
Commerce announced over $8.2 million in grants from the state’s Clean Energy Fund to 10 projects that will promote the development of research, development and demonstration of clean energy projects in Washington.
“Since 2013, state Clean Energy Fund investments have helped incentivize public and private utilities and their partners to accelerate deployment of renewable energy technologies,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “Advancing the low-carbon economy is strengthening communities around the state by creating jobs, providing energy savings and supporting new green energy programs for utility customers.”
These 10 conditional awardees were among 52 applicants, totaling over $51 million in projects, competing for $8.2 million in available funding.
Energy Efficiency & Solar (EE&S)
Commerce announced $8.7 million in grants to local governments, schools and state agencies for 39 proposed projects all over the state that will increase energy efficiency and solar energy use and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Energy Efficiency. The state awarded $7.1 million for 28 proposed projects that are expected to save over $1.4 million in energy costs and over five million gallons of water per year. In addition, an estimated 6,800 metric tons of CO2 emissions will be avoided – equivalent to removing 1,500 vehicles from the road. Among the proposed projects are replacing plug-in space heaters at a treatment plant office building and propane heating equipment at another facility with controllable heat pump technology. Another project will install a new dedicated heat recovery system that will integrate with the existing energy management system to reduce heating and cooling runtime hours by more than 60%.
Solar Energy. Approximately $1.7 million will be invested in 11 proposed solar projects that, once operational, will generate enough power to save over $80,000 in energy costs and over 450 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. Eight of the projects have been awarded a total of nearly $1.6 million in contingent co-funding from the TransAlta Centralia Coal Transition grant program.
Carbon savings from these projects are the equivalent of approximately 8,500 acres of forest, energy use required for 1,200 homes or 1,500 passenger vehicles. Refer to the greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator for examples of the actual carbon saved. The calculator will compare carbon saved to different measures, such as vehicle miles driven and acres of trees planted.
All grant awards are conditional upon execution of final project agreements and performance-based contracts with Commerce. The EE&S Grant program is funded through the state capital budget to deliver energy and operational cost savings at state public higher education institutions, local government facilities, state agencies and K-12 public school districts.