Governor Bredesen, Commissioner Kisber Announce Almost $3.8 Million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants
Governor Bredesen, Commissioner Kisber Announce Almost $3.8 Million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants
 Governor Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber announced Thursday that 42 additional Tennessee cities and counties were awarded around $3.8 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This announcement comes just months after $9.2 million in EECBG grants was distributed to 100 Tennessee cities and counties. The grants will enable communities to implement cost-effective strategies which reduce total energy expenses and save taxpayer money through improved energy efficiency in buildings and transportation systems, creating an estimated 45 new jobs in the process.
The grants will fund a variety of energy efficiency and conservation programs in local communities across the state, including retrofits of the lighting, HVAC, window and insulation of many existing government buildings. Other communities will replace inefficient lighting in traffic signals or street lights, and one grant will fund the installation of solar panels.
The second round of the EECBG program is expected to produce more than 27 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy savings annually, resulting in a cost-savings of approximately $2.5 million per year for Tennessee communities. The grants will also allow installers and retrofitters to gain valuable training and experience which will serve private sector companies as they expand their energy efficiency programs.
A complete list of cities and counties chosen along with the amount awarded and a brief description of each project is attached. The 42 recipients were chosen from a pool of 83 applications, representing 51 Tennessee counties. For more information on the EECBG program in Tennessee visit http://tnecd.gov/recovery/eecbg.html.
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