Group Encourages Renewable Energy Plan at County Level

By LaKeshia Knarr

LOCK HAVEN – A group of concerned residents attended the Monday work session of the Clinton County commissioners to talk about the county’s nonexistent energy plan and the benefits of proactively implementing renewable energy sources.

The seven individuals in attendance represented a larger group of friends who are concerned by recent discussions at the state and national level to reinvigorate nuclear energy sources, among other fossil fuels. They believe renewable energy sources – such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric and biomass – will better serve the generations to come.

The group presented information about nearby renewable energy initiatives in school districts and municipalities, in addition to sending the commissioners an electronic copy of the 200+ page Lycoming County Energy Plan, in an effort to encourage a strategic plan for Clinton County that reduces fossil fuel use.

“We’re all ears at this moment,” said Pete Smeltz, chairman of the board.

Rose Reeder said she believes an energy plan is important because “it gets you on a track and you keep moving forward.” She said the commissioners’ uncodified energy-cost reduction initiatives are a step in the right direction.

A handout provided by the group outlined benefits of renewable energy use, including little to no emissions that contribute to climate change, improved public health and environmental quality, job creation and a more reliable long-term energy solution.

Reeder pointed to her “team” of committed citizens, saying many of them were educators and they aspire to educate the public and share information on this complex issue. She said the biggest challenge to implementing renewable energy sources is upfront costs and offered to help the commissioners with researching funding opportunities as well as regulations. She also showed potentials for economic growth in the industry – noting jobs in the solar industry have nearly doubled in less than a decade and there is revenue potential with leasing land and rooftops for solar farms.

Smeltz, acknowledging he hadn’t previously thought of renewable energy as a county issue, said there are many things to be considered relating to the county’s jurisdiction, obligations and limitations. He said the county first must evaluate what it can do relating to its own management and internal policies, and consider the cost to transitioning to renewable energy sources, as well as aesthetics and zoning regulations.

“I’ve always been a big supporter and believer in renewable energy,” said Commissioner Paul Conklin, who then shared an experience he had when he was a Castanea Township supervisor. At that time, they considered installing two windmills on the mountainside to provide electricity for township residents, however “you learn about government regulations” that ultimately prevented the project from moving forward.

“This county continually looks at ways of saving energy as we are replacing equipment,” said Commissioner Jeff Snyder, who expressed interest in learning more about how solar panels are recycled and disposed of following their useable lifespan.

Karen Elias shared information about her residence in Swissdale, where her family had 40 free-standing solar panels installed facing south in 2014.

“We use as much energy as we need. What we don’t use, we give back to the grid,” she explained, noting the meters actually spin backwards when the amount of energy produced by the panels exceeds their consumption.

The system cost $43,000, including installation, she said, and a tax incentive allowed the family to recoup about $13,000 – bringing their total investment to $30,000. According to Elias, the property value increased over $30,000 in the first year after installation, and they now only carry a $15 charge per month for electricity, otherwise eliminating the electricity bill.  Taking into account the payback period of 10 years and projecting out over the estimated 25-year life of the solar panels, the family looks to save up to about $85,000, she shared.

Other regional case studies presented to the commissioners included:

• Williamsport YWCA’s $135,000 project to install 16 solar panels to heat water and part of the gymnasium (they received a $118,000 grant, bringing their investment to $17,000, and have seen a 60 percent energy savings);
• Loyalsock Township added rooftop panels for $115,000 and received a grant to recoup $40,000 while cutting energy costs to $0;
• and East Lycoming School District installed a field of panels at the Hughesville campus that now supplies 50 percent of the high school’s annual energy costs – and they received a $1 million grant to help subsidize the initiative.
• The farthest (and perhaps ironic) example was from Kentucky – the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum installed rooftop solar panels for $400,000, made possible by donations and sponsors, and is expected to save $8-10,000 a year in energy costs while also providing energy for a town of 500 people.

Smeltz noted that technological improvements have likely enhanced the efficiency and productivity of solar panels, while also making them more and more affordable over the last several years. He was interested in learning more about the potential to increase jobs and property values, while saving taxpayer dollars and potentially generating more revenue (solar farms).

While Smeltz said he believes government has a role in research and development, he doesn’t think if it should be subsidizing renewable energy initiatives “forever.”

“If this is going to work, businesses are going to want to have it to make it work,” he said, before later adding, “You folks have all done your homework. We’re going to have to pick up on this.”