Oct. 22: Kaptur Announces Federal Award to Assist Oberlin College to Advance Clean Energy Goals
Congresswoman Kaptur said Oberlin College will conduct a comprehensive, district-wide assessment of energy infrastructure and alternative energytransmission under the guidance of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
NETL is a federally-owned and operated laboratory that advances energy options to fuel the American economy, strengthen national security, and improve our environment.Kaptur said the immediate winners will be ratepayers and citizens in four communities—Oberlin, Wellington, Oak Harbor and Elmore—which will partner with Oberlin College to incorporate clean energy into their electric grids and diversify their power bases with alternative energy sources.
“The Department of Energy has recognized our region as a national leader in the development of clean energy,” Kaptur said. “Ratepayers will benefit, too, in the long term.
The partnership between thecollege and these four communities represents an important step forwardfor our region as we create a clean energy future and create jobs through innovation.”
Kaptur said the study will include the current energy demand in communities throughout the Ninth Congressional District, financial and regulatory barriers to sustainable energy production, farm waste and itspotential as an energy source, and potential farm business opportunities for Northern Ohio as we transition to sustainable energy sources.
Oberlin College, she said, will also study solar energy feasibility and sustainable energy opportunities for the city as well as potential options for converting the college’s current central heating plan to biomass or another alternative energy source.
A Technology Advisory Committee will guide the studies that help frame the assessments and place the findings in a national context.As part of the project, the award will also support a series of projectsin Wellington, Oak Harbor and Elmore, which as part of the American Municipal Power (AMP) network.
AMP will act as the project coordinator on behalf of member communities.Funding will allow the following communities to undertake the following activities:
- Wellington will develop a solar recharging station for an electric service vehicle to read and service electric meters. Also, almost all the pole-mounted street lamps in the village will be retrofitted with LED (light-emitting diodes) illumination. Department of Energy studies have confirmed significant savings to taxpayers in maintenance and energy costs by retrofitting (Oakland, California study, 2008)
- Elmore will upgrade its aging energy substation, making it more reliable and also safer for workers and residents; and,
- Oak Harbor will upgrade its distribution circuit and install approximately 350 LED/HID (high-intensity discharge) lighting fixtures, creating an estimated energy savings of more than 50 percent for the village. A public power community, Oak Harbor currently serves more than 1,460 customers through its electric department.