Upper Blackstone Receives Grant Funding for Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Upper Blackstone recently completed two energy efficiency projects, including replacing the existing chiller for the administration building with a new high efficiency unit and replacing existing belt filter press feed pumps with four new units that reduce the motor horsepower by over 50%.

The administration building houses the administrative offices, computer and electrical rooms, and the on-site laboratory.  By permit, the laboratory is required to be maintained temperature controlled.  The existing 75-ton chiller was approximately 30 years old, aging out and highly inefficient.  The new unit is a 70-ton high-efficiency unit and expected to save 11,250 kWh and $1,880 per year.

There are four belt filter press feed pumps, with two running at all times.  The existing 25 hp hose pumps were replaced with new 12 hp double disc pumps, reducing the energy consumption by over 50%.   

To complete these projects, Upper Blackstone applied and received approval for reimbursement funding from MassSave and the Gap Energy Grant Program through MassDEP’s Clean Energy Results Program with the support of the Department of Energy Resources.  Massachusetts’ Gap Energy Grant Program provides grant assistance (up to $200,000 per community) for implementing energy efficiency and clean energy generation projects at water and wastewater plants.

The Administration building chiller replacement project received a $2,500 rebate from MassSave and a Gap Grant award for $132,750.  The belt filter pump replacement project received $16,164 rebate from MassSave and a Gap Grant award for $48,461.  Total rebates and grants for these two projects amounted to $199,875, or roughly 90% of the project costs. The annual savings in energy costs for these projects is estimated at $12,669.