Central Pa. small businesses gain grants to cut energy costs, reduce pollution

Small businesses in Central Pennsylvania are among those receiving grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). 

DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley said the Shapiro administration is investing nearly $3.5 million in grants to 15 small businesses across Pennsylvania. The announcement came at Tröegs Independent Brewing in Dauphin County, and grant funding is through the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) Small-scale Award Track (SAT). The grants are aimed at helping businesses cut energy costs, improve energy efficiency, and reduce air pollution. 

“Pennsylvania has a long industrial history, and these RISE PA grants are helping manufacturers build their business with lower energy costs, create more energy focused jobs, and reduce air pollution for surrounding communities,” Shirley said in a statement. “This program offers tailored grants to increase energy efficiency, use renewable energy, and help reduce or eliminate pollution, while also continuing to support our economy and position Pennsylvania as an energy and industrial leader.” 

The projects are expected to save businesses more than $470,000 in energy costs and reduce approximately 2,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in their first year, according to a release. The greenhouse gas reductions are equivalent to removing 575 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year, recycling 209,447 trash bags of waste instead of sending them to a landfill, or growing 40,741 tree seedlings for 10 years. 

Tröegs, one of the grant recipients, will use its $204,284 award to help offset the cost of installing a carbon dioxide reclamation system at its facility. The system will capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the fermentation process and reuse it in later stages of beverage production, reducing the amount of CO2 the company needs to purchase for its production process. The annual estimated energy savings is $53,416. 

In Lebanon County, Plain and Fancy Custom Cabinetry is receiving $63,465 to replace all remaining indoor fluorescent lights with LED lights and fixtures. The annual estimated energy savings is $11,806. 

In Lancaster County, Fox Meadows Creamery receives $281,755 to install a rooftop-mounted solar system to offset nearly all (99.6 percent) of the facility’s annual electricity use. The annual estimated energy savings is $35,238. 

The RISE PA grant program is a $396 million statewide industrial decarbonization grant program funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. The $40 million Small-scale Award Track is administered by the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) at Penn State and supports small businesses. 

RISE PA offers grants for small-, medium-, and large-scale projects at industrial facilities that reduce emissions through investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrification, and other pollution-reduction technologies. PennTAP also provides participating small businesses with no-cost energy assessments to help identify opportunities to lower operating costs and reduce environmental impacts. 

“On-site visits to Round 1 awardees, our team is learning more about RISE PA’s broader impact,” said PennTAP Director Tanna Pugh. “In addition to helping manufacturers improve air quality in their local communities, these funded SAT projects will yield significant cost savings that is earmarked for re-investment in furthering energy efficiency initiatives, adding jobs, and expanding production. 

“Funding is also driving corporate investment in these Pennsylvania facilities, growing local operations and the state’s manufacturing economy. We look forward to hearing similar outcomes from Round 2 awardees.” 

PennTAP is accepting applications for the fourth round through Aug. 17.