[Durham INC] Durham Using Free Solar Energy in City Fire Stations

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov

 

 

 

For Immediate Release:  March 24, 2011

 

 

Durham Now Using Free Solar Energy in City Fire Stations

Three More Fire Stations Receive Solar Water Heating Installations as
Durham Continues to Go Green

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Durham has taken another important next step in becoming
more energy efficient thanks to new solar water heating systems recently
installed in three City of Durham fire stations.

 

Durham firefighters in Stations 8, 14, and 16 are now using free energy
from the sun for their hot water needs. Each system contains three solar
hot water collectors and a hot water storage tank. The systems will
pre-heat water using free energy from the sun so that the existing
boilers are now used significantly less - saving both taxpayer money and
Durham's environment in the process.  

 

According to Tobin Freid, manager of the Durham City-County
Sustainability Office, the project will save an estimated $900 annually
at current energy prices, and will conserve an estimated 100,000 cubic
feet of natural gas. "The installation of these systems will help the
City meet its greenhouse gas objectives by reducing carbon dioxide
emissions by five metric tons annually," Freid said. "Durham residents
and businesses that use a significant amount of hot water are encouraged
to consider the installation of solar hot water systems. Currently, the
federal government offers 30 percent off and the state government offers
35 percent off the cost of a system in the form tax credits. Now is a
great time to install this type of system." 

  

The City used $28,555 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
funds from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Conservation Block
Grant Program to complete this project. According to Freid, the systems
were installed by Honey Electric Solar from Liberty, N.C. Construction
on the project began in early February and took three weeks to complete.


 

The solar hot water systems in Fire Stations 8, 14, and 16 are not the
first of their kind in City facilities. The City's General Services
Department Administration Building and Fire Stations 12 and 15 also have
solar hot water systems currently in use. The installation of all of
these systems ultimately helps support achieving goal three in the
City's new Strategic Plan for thriving, livable neighborhoods.

 

For more information on this project, the Durham City-County Greenhouse
Gas Emissions Reduction Plan, or Durham City-County Sustainability
Office, visit www.GreenerDurham.net, e-mail Energy at DurhamNC.gov, or
contact Freid at (919) 560-7999.

 

###

 

News media interested in filming or photographing the new solar water
heating systems should contact Freid at (919) 560-7999 or (919) 201-3369
(cell) to arrange a date, time, and location preference. Photographs of
the new systems are also available upon request.

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