PHOTO: The Township today began replacing windows and doors at the Municipal building, launching their energy-savings project which will place solar panels on several buildings around town. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Township has received an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) of $678,200.00, which will be used to save energy, improve efficiency, install energy saving equipment, and help the environment through the use of solar energy, all without spending local tax dollars.
This grant is being used for two separate projects. One project will involve replacing windows and doors and installing special lighting to conserve energy. The second project will focus on solar energy.
With Steven Reinman, the director of Economic Development, Lakewood Township officials and Birdsall Engineering did an assessment of all the township buildings and determined the projects and township sites primed for energy upgrades.
According to Reinman, “The municipal building alone is 40 years old and is in dire need of upgrades to make it more energy efficient. As a result, the replacement of most windows and doors, and the replacement of the boiler and air conditioning systems (HVAC) with high efficiency systems should result in significant savings for the town.”
Other townships buildings, such as the inspections building on Fourth Street, the Blue Claws stadium and emergency services building on Pine Street and New Hampshire Avenue, will receive similar upgrades. Since Public Works is a fairly new facility, it should not require any upgrades at this time.
Because converting to solar energy requires a great investment for the township, township officials have decided to offer an RFP, for which investors can propose to install solar systems on township buildings and offer a significant reduction in electricity costs.
Reinman says, “For example, if our usage is now 1,000 kilowatts a month, and solar companies can produce 200 kilowatts a month, 20 percent of our usage would be at a significantly reduced rate. Solar systems are installed on a roof and tied into a specific meter. Whatever solar energy is produced is distinguished from what is being taken from JCP&L. With a solar system, we would be able to reduce the amount of energy we use from JCP&L. The percentages of how much solar energy we use, however, will vary from building to building, depending on how much solar capacity is on a particular roof.”
The RFP brought in one qualified bid, which was awarded to Pureharvest, a Lakewood-based company.
“We are very excited about the possibilities”, Reinman says. “I think we are getting a lot of leverage out of the money from the federal government allotted to Lakewood under this grant. A good portion of it is going to the direct improvement of our facilities. Birdsall will manage the solar process for us with the small amount of money left”.
Ervin Oross, the community development director, says, “This grant is a great thing for the township because we can realize hard cost savings to the taxpayers via efficiency and energy systems. It is important for the public to know that we had a professional energy audit done that guided the committee’s decisions about how to judiciously spend the grant money we received. Birdsall was fantastic because they had experience in 30 other towns to help us put this thing together.”
Members of the steering committee included Senator Robert Singer; Committeeman Ray Coles; Lawrence Bathgate from Bathgate, Wegener & Wolfe; representatives from Birdsall Engineering, Steve Reinman, and Ervin Oross.
The solar panels on the properties are expected to be installed in April. TLS.
The roof of the Muni building on 3rd Street is too small to bother to put solar cells on. Over a months time you will be lucky to get enough electricity to run 3 desktop computers for the month. And when the building needs a new roof in a few years all the panels and their supporting structures will have to be removed for the roof replacement. And then reinstalled on the roof again. The removal and re-installation will cost a large amount of money. It would be better to put solar panels on the ground, possibly at public works, and use the electricity to help power those buildings.
Waste of taxpayer money. This whole green shtick stinks of corruption. Go Obama Go [away )
any local contractors get the job?
how much are these up-grades costing taxpayers please?.
I would like to know which solar company is the town using?
Please advise is anyone knows.
Has anyone in the township looked at the current price of SRECs. They are way down. Not sure why this makes sense economically.
please read the article before you post;
how much are these up-grades costing taxpayers please?.
“Township has received an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) of $678,200.00, which will be used to save energy, improve efficiency, install energy saving equipment, and help the environment through the use of solar energy, all without spending local tax dollars.”
I would like to know which solar company is the town using?
“The RFP brought in one qualified bid, which was awarded to Pureharvest, a Lakewood-based company.”
in brick they have it alredy
SREC’S have actually started to go back up somewhat.
does anyone listen, Grant Money…is not tax payers money. If you “TAX” payers are concerned, you would complain about the garbage pickup for the non taxpayers, u know the one’s…..that live in the woods off cedarbridge……looks like a dump there.
so when are my taxes lowering ???
“…Grant Money…is not tax payers money…” And where did the federal government get the money to provide the grant with? From the TAX PAYERS. All the money the government has is provided by the TAX PAYERS. And that includes all the borrowing the government will have to pay back – it will come from the TAX PAYERS.
When you factor in the real cost solar does not save money in New Jersey. Not to mention when the roof needs repairs. The only one that makes money is the company selling the system.
Thanks # 6. Now can you tell me who owns Pureharvest, this Lakewood based company?
#12 if thats the case, why are there multi millionaires investing in solar, they must do their homework before investing so much money.