HARRISBURG – State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Houtzdale, said that the Curwensville Area School District has won a $574,771 grant for its cost-saving geo-thermal heat pump system.
“The district has vigorously pursued energy savings, and the half-million-dollar-plus grant is indicative of those efforts,” George said. “It was not deterred by the competitive application process, the reviews and the rankings, and the school district ended up receiving almost $200,000 more than the average grant award.”
The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority approved the grant for the closed-loop, heath pump system that will feature about 200 wells drilled to about 300 feet. Warmer water from the closed-loop system will be pumped throughout the renewable energy system.
“School officials expect the project to be completed next August, and eventual savings have been pegged at as much as $50,000 annually and $2 million over the life of the project,” George said.
The grant will pay for the physical equipment – piping, heat pumps and exchangers — needed at the high school portion of the project. School officials said that work could begin by October.
Last September, the school district won approval of a $644,280 low-interest loan through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to develop the project’s well field. Both the loan and grant are part of the Commonwealth’s Renewable Energy Program, which was established under Special Session House Bill 1 of 2008.