Many state and local governments, school districts and other agencies lack the resources necessary to maintain the education, recreation, transportation and health services critical to local communities. Quality of life and economic development can suffer dramatically as a result. Renewable energy and efficiency are a proven and growing part of the solution. The U.S. Government (federal, state and local) is the largest owner of building and facility space in America including courthouses, offices and administrative buildings, schools, landfills, Brownfields, public hospitals, water treatment plants and power generation stations. Energy is consistently one of the largest operating costs. Reducing these expenses through on-site renewable energy production and efficiency measures conserves budgetary resources for vital community services. For instance, solar panels on school buildings are most productive during the day, when the energy is needed most. Combined with efficiency retrofits or a geothermal heating and cooling system, solar panels offset even more of the school’s energy use. Sewerage treatment plants can process their sludge waste into natural gas using anaerobic digesters. The resulting bio-methane can power turbines and fuel cells on-site, while eliminating the cost of disposing sludge waste. Landfills can be tapped for methane, or capped and converted into solar fields. Most government facilities can benefit from a portfolio of energy efficiency retrofits, balanced between nearer and longer-term payback items. Opportunities exist across a wide spectrum of government facilities and technologies, with the potential to benefit communities across America. Financing for these projects may be obtained through government bond programs and/or private investors. Progressive Energy can help arrange both.
