Florida county receives grant for energy-saving schemes
Federal stimulus funds totalling $7.6 million will be used to finance eight energy-saving projects in Hillsborough County, Florida, it has emerged.
The Department of Energy grant means that the county will aim to reduce carbon emissions by 24,000 tons a year, while also cutting its annual energy costs by approximately $1 million.
According to the Tampa Tribune, the allocation is the largest energy-saving grant received by a county in Florida to date.
"Right now we're saving about 12.4 per cent of our electric from everything we've done already countywide. This grant is going to add [savings of] another five per cent," county energy manager Randy Klindworth told the newspaper.
The largest project covered by the grant will be a $2.45 million scheme to improve energy efficiency at the county sewage plant.
In addition, two county warehouses will receive an energy-efficient lighting retrofit at a cost of $1 million, while energy and fuel monitoring systems will be developed for county vehicles.
Elsewhere in the US, the governor of Kentucky Steve Beshear has announced the availability of $18.75 million through the state's 'Green Bank', which low-interest provides loans for energy-saving projects.
