By: John Bradley
This past summer, the Climate Smart committee received notice from NYSERDA that we qualified for three Conservation Energy Communities (CEC) grants. These grants were mostly due to the work done on the Heat Pump campaign, (shout out to Bob Duggan!), which documented 15 heat pump installations to qualify for three grants totaling $25,000. A condition of these grants is that they be applied to a qualifying energy conservation project and implemented within one year.
In July, the CSC recommended to the Town Board that these grant funds be used to seal the garage envelope. The cost of sealing the garage envelope is estimated at $39,836. Applying the $25,000 in grant funds to this project would leave a shortfall of almost $15,000. The Climate Smart Committee recommended that the town cover this shortfall and the town board agreed. The $39,835 garage project would have had an eight year payback given the annual energy cost savings of approximately $5,000. With the grant funds, it would instead be only a three year payback. Assuming increasing energy cost in the heating oil markets, this cost saving move makes good sense.
This is an important first step in a multi-year plan to reduce Claverack’s carbon footprint, convert to renewable energy and lower our energy cost.
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