Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Jail’s energy efficiency set to improve

Federal grant will fund installation of solar hot water heater


By JASON KAUFFMAN
Express Staff Writer

Work may begin this summer on a project to install a solar hot water system on the roof of the Blaine County Public Safety Facility in Hailey.

The heater is expected to help the county reduce its energy use for heating hot water in the facility by as much as 76 percent. According to county information, the hot water demand for showing, laundry and food service for the facility's 88 prisoners and 23 employees amounts to 50,000 gallons per month.

Initial estimates indicate the solar hot water system could save county taxpayers as much as $8,000 a year in energy costs.

Funding for the design and installation of the heater is coming from a $93,168 Environmental Efficiency Conservation Block Grant from the federal government.

The competitive grant process, administered by the Idaho Office of Energy Resources, was open to small and mid-sized cities and counties ineligible for direct funding from the U.S. Department of Energy based on their population. The grants are to be used to install renewable energy sources on government buildings or to reduce and capture methane and greenhouse gases.

Officials hope the project will spur other commercial energy consumers, such as hotels, or other local governments, to install similar systems.

This is the second energy block grant the county has received this year. Funds from the first grant, announced in February, are being used to convert all traffic lights in the county to LED lights, improve energy-efficiency outreach and education, and create a regional energy-efficiency and conservation strategy.

Jason Kauffman: jkauffman@mtexpress.com




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