TransAlta Centralia Coal Transition Board awards grant to the University of Washington
February 20, 2020 – The University of Washington received a grant award of $150,000 from the Energy Technology Board to support a feasibility study to enable the construction of a bio-refinery in Lewis County.
TransAlta Coal Transition Board Awards a Grant to support a solar project for the Tumwater School District Grant to help build solar project at Peter G. Schmidt Elementary
Centralia, Wash. (November
21, 2019) The
TransAlta Centralia Coal
Transition Grants Energy Technology Board announced today it has approved a $99,060
grant to the Tumwater School District to support the construction of a 34kW
Washington-made solar system at the Peter G. Schmidt Elementary school. The
solar system project will include an interactive student engagement solar dashboard
system that the district can utilize for all Tumwater students to learn more
about energy generation, sustainability and how the overall solar system works.
The $99,060 grant is leveraged with funding
received from the Washington
Department of Commerce Energy Efficiency and a local district contribution. The
solar system will save over 42,000kwh per year, accounting for 6% of the
overall school’s annual energy consumption.
“Solar power provides a
more efficient way for schools to meet their energy needs and the efficiency results
in cost savings as well as ecological benefits” says Lori Schmitt, board member.
“During the planning and design for the new building the District considered
solar energy unfortunately the cost did not fit in the budget. We are pleased that
the Energy Technology Board has been able to provide funding to add the
infrastructure which will allow not only a savings to the District but will provide
a unique educational opportunity for students.”
The Energy Technology Board
was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of
Washington to transition the Centralia plant away from coal-fired operations
with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the second unit in December
2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties
and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.
“Tumwater School District would like to express
our gratitude for this opportunity. With this successful partnership between
many organizations, we are excited for Peter G. Schmidt Elementary to start
using renewable energy source and reduce the footprint of our school” states
Tumwater School District’s Director of Facilities, Mel Murray. “The
students and teachers are also very excited to use the digital dashboard as an
educational resource to have better awareness of solar energy and to learn how
they can and are helping our environment.”
Tumwater School
District is in Thurston County, Washington. The District encompasses 117 square
miles and is the third largest district in Thurston County, serving over 6,000
students. The District includes the City of Tumwater and its urban growth area
and unincorporated Thurston County.
“ATS truly
values the partnerships we have with our customers, such as the Tumwater School
District” says Moe Salem, Business Development Manager for ATS Automation. “Not
only are we able to assist the District in implementing energy-saving
technology, we also get to provide learning opportunities for students to
engage in conservation and energy management.”
Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:
Annual payments
for the funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31,
2023. The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective
December 31, 2015.
Weatherization Board
($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the
residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments
within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be
allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for
low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston
County;
Economic &
Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining,
economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be
allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically
targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;
Energy Technology
Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to
create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.
TransAlta Coal Transition Board Awards $165k to the City of Granger
Centralia, Wash. (November
5, 2019) – The
TransAlta Centralia Coal
Transition Grants Energy Technology Board announced today it has approved a $165,000
grant to the City of Granger to support the construction of an 50kW ground
based photovoltaic solar array that will tie into a well pump main
electrical disconnect located at the corner
of 3rd Street and E Street in the City of Granger. This 50kW solar
project will produce approximately 66,744kW per year through a net metering
agreement with Pacific Power.
The $165,000 grant will be leveraged with
funding received from the Washington Department of Commerce Energy Efficiency
and Solar Grants Program and the City of Granger to fully fund the solar
project. The project will lower energy costs currently being incurred by the
well pump and support the city’s commitment and good stewardship to using
renewable energy.
“The mission of the
Energy Technology Board is to review and fund effective energy projects that
will create energy, air quality, haze or other environmental benefits for the
State of Washington” said Mickey Dreher, board member. “Installation of solar
power systems align with the transition to clean energy and helps combat greenhouse
gas emissions which fulfills the mission of the board. In addition, because the
project will be utilizing solar modules manufactured in the state of
Washington, the city will qualify for the cost recovery incentive payments. A win
for the state and a win for the city.”
The Energy Technology Board
was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of
Washington to transition the Centralia plant away from coal-fired operations
with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the second unit in December
2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties
and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.
Granger is a city of 3,945 people located in the
Yakima Valley in the State of Washington. The city provides fire, police and
other municipal services to city residents and has an ongoing commitment to upgrade
facilities and technology to best serve city residents. It is the city’s goal
to continue to find ways to reduce operating expense and implement sustainable
energy sources where it makes financial sense to do so.
Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:
Annual payments
for the funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31,
2023. The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective
December 31, 2015.
Weatherization
Board ($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the
residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments
within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be
allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for
low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston
County;
Economic &
Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining,
economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be
allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically
targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;
Energy
Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the
potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.
TransAlta Coal Transition Board Awards $290k to the Town of Fairfield
Centralia, Wash. (October
22, 2019) The
TransAlta Centralia Coal
Transition Grants Energy Technology Board announced today it has approved a $290,000
grant to the Town of Fairfield to support the construction of an 96kW ground
based photovoltaic solar array at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Producing
renewable energy, this 96kW solar project will produce approximately 113,400kW
per year through a net metering agreement with Avista Utilities and utilizes
State of Washington manufactured solar panels that qualify for cost recovery
incentive payments.
The $290,000 grant will be leveraged with
funding received from the Washington
Department of Commerce Energy Efficiency and Solar Grants Program and the Town
of Fairfield to fully fund the solar project. The project will reduce the town’s
electric bill at the waste water treatment plant and allow the town to redirect
those funds to capital improvement projects.
“This project adds renewable energy while reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and allows for the town to use their cost savings to
invest in other ways to support the community” says Lori Schmitt, Energy
Technology Board member. “The board sees this project as adding to the solution
in meeting the environmental goals for the state of Washington.”
The Energy Technology Board
was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between TransAlta and the state of
Washington to transition the Centralia plant away from coal-fired operations
with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the second unit in December
2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and South Thurston Counties
and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition Boards.
The Town of Fairfield
is a small farming community in southeast Spokane County, located 30 miles
south of Spokane and provides municipal services to town residents including a
modern waste water treatment plant. The
town has an ongoing commitment and goal to upgrade its infrastructure and
technology to best serve the town residents and enlisted the expertise of
Apollo Solutions Group to support their goals.
“Apollo Solutions Group has extensive
experience with small rural cities, towns, and school districts throughout
Washington State and the Pacific Northwest on Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Projects such as the one with the Town of Fairfield. Receiving a grant
like the one awarded by the Energy Technology Board makes all the difference in
the world to these small rural communities. If the Town of Fairfield didn’t
receive this generous grant from TransAlta Coal Transition Board, this project
wouldn’t have been possible.” – Mike Fuentes, Division Manager, Apollo
Solutions Group
Overview of the Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:
Annual payments
for the funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31,
2023. The opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective
December 31, 2015.
Weatherization Board
($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the
residents, employees, business, non-profit organizations and local governments
within Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be
allocated to fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for
low-income and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston
County;
Economic &
Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining,
economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be
allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically
targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;
Energy
Technology Board ($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the
potential to create environmental benefits to the state of Washington.
Centralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Technology Board Supports the Providence Health Care Foundation
Centralia, (August 27, 2019) The
Centralia Coal Transition Grants Energy Board is pleased to announce a grant
award to the Providence Health Care Foundation to support the installation of a
99kW roof top solar project on the Providence Centralia Hospital. The Foundation will receive $238,036 from the
Energy Technology Board to help fund the replacement of a 25-year old roof
which has increasingly required expensive and temporary patching. The new roof
will protect the integrity of the hospital building; increase sustainability of
the hospital facility, while reducing their carbon footprint; and reduce
overhead operating costs and directing revenues to patient care.
The
Washington made roof mount system will be installed on the hospital’s flat roof
and is expected to produce approximately 94,050kWh annually toward electricity
usage at the Centralia hospital and reduce the hospital’s greenhouse carbon
dioxide emissions by 38,316 metric tons over the next 25 years.
“The
Centralia Coal Transition Board is proud to have the opportunity to bring an alternative
energy project to Providence Centralia Hospital, our largest employer in Lewis
County”, said Matt Matayoshi, board member. “We look forward to seeing the
commencement and completion of the project and learning about the positive
impacts not only for the hospital, but for patients.
The
Energy Technology Board was formed as a result of the 2011 Agreement between
TransAlta and the state of Washington to transition the Centralia plant away
from coal-fired operations with one unit shutting down in December 2020 and the
second unit in December 2025. The company is investing $55 million into Lewis and
South Thurston Counties and the state of Washington through the Coal Transition
Boards.
The
Providence Health Care Foundation supports, among other Providence facilities,
Providence Centralia Hospital, a 128-bed, not-for-profit hospital providing
emergency care, diagnostic, cancer, birthing and surgical services, providing
nearly 5,000 hospital admissions and in excess of 260,000 outpatient visits
annually.
“We are tremendously grateful for the
investment from TransAlta and this grant,” said Dr. Kevin Caserta, site
administrator for Providence Centralia Hospital, who also sits on the
Foundation board. “This project helps us continue to move toward our vision of
Health for a Better World, which includes overall environmental stewardship.”
Overview of the
Centralia Coal Transition Funding Boards:
Annual payments for the
funding boards began in 2012 with the last payment due December 31, 2023. The
opportunity to start flowing dollars into projects became effective December
31, 2015.
Weatherization Board
($10M): established to fund energy efficiency and weatherization for the residents,
employees, businesses, non-profit organizations and local governments within
Lewis County and South Thurston County; up to $1 million shall be allocated to
fund residential energy efficiency and weatherization measures for low-income
and moderate-income residents of Lewis County and South Thurston County;
Economic &
Community Development Board ($20M): established to fund education, retraining,
economic development, and community enhancement; at least $5M shall be
allocated to fund education, retraining and economic development specifically
targeting the needs of workers displaced from the Centralia facility;
Energy Technology Board
($25M): established to fund energy technologies with the potential to create
environmental benefits to the state of Washington.