Enigin Update - Energy Efficiency Grants for Pennsylvania Small Businesses
STATE investments are helping Pennsylvania, US, small-business owners continue to lower their operating costs by conserving energy and reducing pollution.
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger announced yesterday, that 90 small businesses across Pennsylvania will receive more than $560,000 in grants through the Small Business Advantage program to reduce energy use and pollution, enabling them to become more competitive.
"Small-business owners face many challenges including how to reinvest their hard-earned dollars," said Hanger.
"In recent years, a growing number of small-business owners have realised that investing in projects that reduce pollution and energy use produce immediate and long-term positive results. Owners can improve their bottom lines, allowing them to make significant investments in their own futures, and the economic and environmental future of Pennsylvania, as well."
Pennsylvania's Small Business Advantage program provides small businesses (those with fewer than 100 employees) with 50-percent matching reimbursement grants of up to $7,500 to implement projects that will save at least 20 percent annually in pollution prevention or energy-related costs. Since 2004, the Small Business Advantage Grant program has invested $6.7 million in 1,220 small businesses.
Examples of eligible projects include, amongst others, HVAC upgrades and high-efficiency lighting.
The 90 projects in 40 counties will receive a total of $564,291 and leverage an additional $1.1 million in private investments. In the first year, they will have a cumulative savings of $521,782 in operating expenses related to reductions in energy and pollution.
In addition, the projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly five million pounds, equivalent to the total energy used by 190 homes or removing 425 passenger vehicles from the roads.
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell has initiated several other programs to assist small business owners. The Alternative Energy Investment Act he signed into law in July 2008, created the Small Business Energy Efficiency program, which provides a 25 percent reimbursement grant up to $25,000 to help small businesses acquire equipment or adopt processes that promote energy efficiency. The program has awarded $2.3 million to 214 small businesses.
"These financial incentives have made energy-conserving and pollution-reducing technologies more affordable to a greater number of small business owners in the state," said Hanger.
"These types of projects can make a business more productive and more profitable -- a combination that is good for the company, the employees, the economy and the environment."
Enigin Distributors across the United States have energy saving technology from Enigin that is cost effective and will soon help businesses to save energy, money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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