District moves fast toward ‘green’ tech

HUGHESVILLE - Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush and former Vice President Al Gore have asked the U.S. to think differently and quickly when it comes to dependence on foreign sources of fuel.

In Lycoming County, East Lycoming School District has been doing just that - trying to improve energy performance while reducing costs for several years.

On Tuesday night, the school board was told the district had been awarded an $800,000 state grant for a biomass project at the Hughesville High School and Lyco Career Technology Center.

Biomass is a system of burning fuels that produces no "carbon footprint" and is considered environmentally "green" or friendly because it uses materials that are grown or harvested on the planet and are not supposed to contribute to climate change or pollution.

The application was reviewed by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, which uses Growing Greener II and American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds. The authority awarded $20 million to address key energy initiatives across the state.

The local district's application request for a biomass heating system was made unique by the innovative strategy of growing onsite hybrid willow as a fuel source.

It will include the design and installation of a wood chip burner to provide heat to the high school and technology center. The project, estimated at $1.9 million, is expected to be funded through the grant and additional ones under review, and won't impact tax rates, according to business manager David Maciejewski.

The hybrid willow plants should be ready for harvesting and use in the burner by 2013. The technology could provide the buildings with 60 to 70 percent of their fuel needs, replacing the sole dependency on ''dirty fuels.''

They would be grown on about 60 acres of district farmland property.

Other grants under review and applied for include a $1 million renewable energy program grant for geothermal (using heat and temperature control within the earth) with the Department of Community and Economic Development, a $458,000 grant with the DCED for alternative and clean energy pursuits and a $300,000 grant with federal EPA's Climate Showcase Communities.

The latter may result in the district being one of 19 to 25 to be showcased in the nation as highly energy efficient.

Maciejewski mentioned these initiatives were not possible had it not been for:

Superintendent Dr. Susan L. Bigger and administrators and school boards past and present.

Michael Palko, biomass energy specialist with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Timothy Volk, expert at the State University of New York.

Richard Alexander, Double A Willow, Fredonia, N.Y.

Stacy Richards of SEDA-Council of Governments, Lewisburg.

"The award coupled with our Energy Harvest Grant earlier this year brings our grant receipts to $1.138 million for the district to pursue alternative energy initiatives across the district," Maciejewski said.

Bigger said the project is a three-part winning solution to bringing the district to the leading edge of energy savings by using technologies that work in many European countries, such as Sweden, and other parts of the world now for several years.

It is not meant to be supported through local tax increases, it provides significant energy savings and it offers an educational value, she said.

The district was in the top 7 percent of the 389 applications before the authority.

The district is moving forward with several other energy efficiency and reduction and alternative energy projects.

These include ground source heating and cooling for Ferrell and Renn elementaries, a photovoltaic (solar energy array panel) at the high school and a 115-foot high wind turbine next to the pole barn structure near the soccer fields.

Bigger said much of the credit goes to Maciejewski, who pursued these grants with passion and vision for the district and its residents.

"Dave has conscientiously invested a great deal of time and energy on behalf of the district in creating energy solutions that are affordable, efficient and educational," Bigger said.

Board members are expected to vote on the proposal for biomass at the next meeting.

These projects have caught the attention of the Pennsylvania College of Technology and PPL.

"I have a second grader in the district," Maciejewski said. "I believe in time there will be a new industrial arts program available to students here and these projects may provide the opportunity to further our energy savings and improve efficiency with more joint ventures."