BOSTON — The City of Pittsfield will receive a Gap Energy Grant Program to implement a clean energy Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation project that is expected.

 

The project is expected to save the city over $500,000 annually while reducing electric utility bills by 35 percent Wastewater Treatment Plant.

 

“Assisting municipalities, small businesses and non-profit organizations to proactively work to reduce their energy usage and utilize clean, renewable energy is among our top environmental priorities,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These Gap Energy Grant Program funds will greatly assist these municipalities and organizations as they work to improve efficiency, reduce energy use, and generate clean energy to produce immediate and long-term energy savings and contribute to the state’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.”

 

The Baker-Polito Administration announced $8.1 million in grants through the Gap Energy Grant Program to help water facilities, non-profits and small businesses reduce energy use, increase energy efficiency, and generate renewable energy. The Gap Energy Grants are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), which operates the initiative under its Clean Energy Results Program.

 

By filling the “gap” in project financing, these grants are made possible through the Climate Protection and Mitigation Expendable Trust and enable its recipients to use utility incentives and funds from other sources to build or install energy efficiency and clean energy projects. This year, the 63 recipients receiving the grants represent three sectors in the state: municipal water facilities; non-profit multi-family affordable housing organizations; and agricultural and food-producing non-profits and small businesses.

 

The Pittsfield Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of the 41 water-utility facilities receiving grants.

 

These 63 grant awards will support more than 100 projects that are to be completed by the end of 2024. The projects are anticipated to generate more than 9,000 megawatt hours (MWh) in annual electricity savings or onsite generation of clean energy, sufficient to power more than 250 households and reduce carbon emissions by 3,359 metric tons. Overall, the grantees expect to have an estimated annual savings of up to $1,642,963. 

 

“The Gap Energy Grant Program enables municipal water utilities and other organizations to leverage critical sources of funding, including energy efficiency incentives from electrical utilities, to fully implement energy saving measures,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Importantly, with lower energy bills, these entities can reinvest their operational cost savings into their facilities and organizational missions.”

 

This year marks the first time that the Gap Energy Grant Program has extended its reach to include non-profit organizations and small businesses. In 2018, the second round of Gap Energy grants awarded 43 drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities $4 million, subsequently funding 36 energy projects that are saving facilities $1.3 million annually and generating approximately 9,580 MWh in annual electricity savings or on-site clean energy generation. In 2014, the first round of Gap Energy grants included awards to 21 water and wastewater facilities of more than $1.7 million for 30 projects that have generated enough electricity to fully heat and power nearly 900 Massachusetts homes each year for 15 years.