This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority was awarded $75,000 in grant funding from West Penn Energy Fund. The money is set to be used for an upcoming solar array installation, according to a statement from CCRRA.
The project entails the installation of a new 791.5-kilowatt solar system on three separate CCRRA buildings. The installation of the new solar system is estimated to produce close to 939,881 kWh/year, which CCRRA shared will “offset more than 100% of the facility’s annual energy usage.”
Additionally, the solar powered electricity will also be used to power CCRRA’s renewable natural gas station in College Township. The gas station “provides clean, low-carbon fuel produced from organic waste to natural gas vehicles,” according to CCRRA.
“The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority is thankful to WPEF for their support of our solar project,” Ted Onufrak, executive director of CCRRA, said in a statement. Onufrak stated that the new solar system will benefit the public by:
- Freeing up capital to improve the services provided by the Authority
- Reducing energy demand
- Increasing energy supply
- Providing education on energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability through public tours and other programs
“We hope this project can serve as a model for other counties who are interested in supporting renewable solar energy, while making a significant impact on their bills and overall energy usage,” Joel Morrison, fund administrator for WPEF, said in a statement. “There are many economic and environmental benefits that CCRRA will be able to share with surrounding community leaders.”
