| In Danville, Virginia, city fathers are planning to use | | | | winter, will be fed back into the grid, according to |
| stimulus funding, via the American Recovery and | | | | Danville Deputy City Manager Joe King. |
| Reinvestment Act (distributed through the U.S. | | | | The project is calling for both solar photovoltaic |
| Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and | | | | panels and solar thermal energy (hot water |
| Conservation Formula Block Grant), to install solar | | | | heating), and the wording of the RFP suggests |
| panels on the city’s market building in | | | | that any firm winning the bid would also be |
| December. | | | | engaged in other renewable energy projects, and |
| The $202,000 grant will fund a 25-kilowatt (or | | | | would additionally be responsible for helping the |
| larger) installation, for which Danville city officials | | | | city find other sources of funding to complete the |
| are already seeking request for proposals. The | | | | installation. |
| contractor chosen must design, procure, install and | | | | Danville has already made its first “green” |
| commission the system. | | | | venture by installing energy-efficient LED lighting |
| The market is actually a train freight depot, now | | | | under the Cree LED City Program, to its water |
| unused, that serves as a farmer’s market | | | | treatment plant and Adult Detention Center. |
| and community activities building located in the | | | | On Oct. 28, the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury also |
| Dan Complex, or “Crossing of the Dan”, in | | | | awarded $29 million in bonds to American Municipal |
| the historic Tobacco Warehouse District. | | | | Power, Inc. (AMP) for a solar energy project in |
| Completed, it will be the first major solar | | | | the City of Danville. It is one of 805 awarded |
| photovoltaic installation in the region, and officials | | | | across the nation that provides zero-interest |
| hope it provide enough electricity for the entire | | | | development bonds for renewable energy. AMP, a |
| building (which will still rely on a gas-powered | | | | member-owned wholesale power supplier, is |
| heating system). | | | | headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and owns the |
| More important, the solar energy system – | | | | 213-megawatt Gorsuch coal-fired generating plant |
| which represents the city’s commitment to | | | | in Marietta. |
| renewable energy and sustainable environment | | | | AMP’s investment in solar energy can be |
| – will encourage other businesses in the | | | | seen as a positive indicator that even coal-plant |
| community to go solar. | | | | owners are beginning to see a future in solar. |
| Any energy not used for the market, as in | | | | |