Farmersburg and EECBG

Like many small communities in Indiana, Farmersburg is always looking for ways to save on energy costs and better serve the community. With over $90,000 in grant money, Farmersburg was able to help take steps towards their energy savings goals by improving the Town Hall and municipal buildings that include the Town Garage and wastewater treatment facility.

Using EECBG funds, the Town Hall/Garage facility was retrofitted with 3 new exterior entry doors, double-pane windows, insulation, and new higher efficiency, Energy-Star rated HVAC equipment. In addition to the benefit offered by more energy efficient products, the insulation and replacement windows and doors serve to reduce the amount of air leakage from the existing units. These improvements also make the building a more comfortable place to work. The municipal sewage treatment facility (WWTP) was retrofitted with improved insulation, new windows, and higher efficiency, Energy Star rated HVAC equipment.

These improvements are estimated to represent a combined $14,650 in annual savings in energy expenditures for the town. Both pre- and post-improvement energy audits were performed for the project. WIN Energy, the local power provider, offers these audits to as a service to its customers. These audits have allowed Farmersburg to more fully quantify the improvements achieved through the project activities.

The Town of Farmersburg received an Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), a program funded through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.  EECBG is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy, administered through the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

Showing off Sullivan County Community Hospital's EECBG project

Of all of the places in need of ensuring that temperatures are appropriate and conditions are comfortable, a hospital is certainly at the top of the list.  Certain environmental conditions are often essential to keeping patients stabilized and in good health.  Thus, when the Sullivan County Hospital applied for one of our grants, we were happy to help.  

The Sullivan County Hospital used grant funds to take several measures that would create a more secure and relaxing environment for patients and staff.  First, the hospital installed a Pulse Condensing Boiler that reaches up to 97.5% efficiency. Secondly, they put in a Heat-Timer Mini-Mod-CN control system as an accompaniment to the boiler. And finally, the hospital finished it all off with natural gas and hydronic piping installation.  Estimated energy savings to date (the project was completed in December of 2010) was a  total 40,790 MMBTU. Those are some great savings!

Sullivan County Community Hospital received an Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), a program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.  EECBG is funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and is administered by the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

Highlighting American Pellet Supply

From time to time, we like to take the time to highlight our grant recipients and the good work they're doing around the Hoosier State.  A few weeks ago, one of OED's project officers from the U.S. Department of Energy was in the state, so it gave us a great excuse to stretch our legs and venture outside of the city for a bit.

One day, we headed down to Carlisle, which is about forty-five minutes south of Terre Haute, to visit American Pellet Supply, one of the recipients of State Energy Program (SEP) dollars.  American Pellet Supply takes paper, cardboard, corn stover, and crop wastes and develops bio-heat pellets, briquettes, bio-landscape and bio-animal bedding, and bio-pet litter.  It's a small facility (for now!), but this company has a developed a pretty interesting product and has a wide variety of options available for the future.

Here's a picture we snapped of the pellets created out of recycled materials:

If you'd like more info, please head on over to American Pellet Supply's website or give them a call.