Governor Announces Latest Bipartisan Stimulus Awards for Advanced Energy
Gov. Ted Strickland and his energy advisor, Ohio Air Quality Development Authority Executive Director Mark Shanahan (OAQDA), announced seven new awards Tuesday from the $150 million advanced energy portion of the Ohio Bipartisan Job Stimulus Plan.
Six awards went to non-coal-related projects proposed by Ohio Cooperative Solar of Cleveland; Schmack BioEnergy of Independence; Technology Management, Inc. of Cleveland; Wayne Trail Technologies, Inc. of Fort Loramie; Westerman Nuclear LLC of Bremen; and Xunlight Corporation of Toledo.
A seventh award was made to InSeT Systems, LLC of Akron for a coal-related project in Belmont County.
“The cutting-edge technologies that these seven companies will employ demonstrate Ohio’s leadership across the advanced energy spectrum,” Strickland said. “The state’s investment in advanced energy technologies is stimulating our economy and creating Ohio jobs today.”
Funding for the seven projects was authorized this week by OAQDA, the state agency responsible for administering the Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program. Projects are subject to final review by the state Controlling Board.
“These seven outstanding projects demonstrate that the advanced energy program is fulfilling its mission to support state-of-the-art projects on a fast track toward commercialization,” said Shanahan. “Each project has leveraged additional support from other private and public sector organizations, which underscores their high likelihood of success.”
On Nov. 30, the governor announced that the federal government had approved 25 wind and solar projects in Ohio to receive more than $13 million in grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) State Energy Program.
“Expanding the advanced energy sector of Ohio’s economy requires the strategic investment of limited resources,” Strickland said. “We are coordinating state and federal dollars to bring additional investment, jobs and growth to Ohio.”
The six approved non-coal projects from Ohio’s Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program, and project locations:
Ohio Cooperative Solar (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Ohio Cooperative Solar was approved for a $1.53 million loan over six years to assist the company with the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panel modules on the roofs of commercial buildings for customers in the University Circle area of Cleveland. Ohio Cooperative Solar will remain the owner and operator of these PV systems. This worker-owned company will provide 20 new full-time jobs to economically disadvantaged neighborhoods through the project.
Schmack BioEnergy, LLC (Columbus, Franklin County)
Having recently changed its name to Quasar Energy Group, Schmack is a full service waste-to-energy company and will receive a $3.06 million loan over seven years for the construction of an “anaerobic digester” system in Columbus designed to accept organic waste and capture biogas. The project will create seven new full-time jobs with 14 current full-time jobs retained.
Technology Management, Inc. (Cleveland and Highland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
A developer of modular, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems, the company will receive a loan of $2,537,500 over five years to assist in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and Stark State College of Technology. The project will create 42 new full-time and part time permanent jobs and enable the company to retain 14 jobs.
Wayne Trail Technologies, Inc. (Fort Loramie, Shelby County)
The company will receive an $838,440 loan over five years to assist in the establishment of a unique manufacturing process used in lithium-ion battery packs used to power hybrid electric vehicles. An estimated 37 new full-time jobs will be created by the project with another 120 full-time jobs retained.
Westerman Nuclear LLC (Bremen, Fairfield County)
The company was approved for a five-year loan in the amount of $2.04 million for the construction of a new manufacturing facility to supply components to the nuclear industry in the U.S. and around the world. An estimated 50 new full-time jobs will be created by the project, with another 183 full-time jobs retained.
Xunlight Corporation (Toledo, Lucas County)
The company will receive a loan of $4.06 million over five years to significantly expand its capacity for manufacturing its amorphous silicon thin-film photovoltaic modules. The company already has customers who have signed either supply agreements or letters of intent to purchase the modules. An estimated 181 full-time jobs will be created by the project, with another 75 jobs retained.
OAQDA’s approved coal-related project:
InSeT Systems LLC (Beallsville, Belmont County)
The company will receive a grant of $330,586 to assist in the expansion of the company’s patented Internal Sensor Tracking system, which provides the capability of real-time tracking of miners working in underground mines. An estimated 46-60 new full-time jobs will be created by the project with another four full-time jobs retained.
The Advanced Energy Job Stimulus Program includes $84 million for non-coal related technology projects and $66 million for clean coal projects. It is part of the Ohio Bipartisan Job Stimulus Plan signed into law by Strickland in June 2008.
Meanwhile, OAQDA approved two additional projects Tuesday that will employ Schmack technology. The agency authorized a bond issuance of up to $3 million to assist Zanesville Energy in the financing of a biomass-to-energy facility in Zanesville. OAQDA also authorized another bond of up to $3 million to assist Buckeye Biogas in the financing of a biomass-to-energy facility at Ohio State University’s Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster.
Finally, OAQDA approved a grant not to exceed $99,710 in support of “Green Fleets 2010: Transforming Ohio’s Transportation Energy Sector.” The project builds on work done over several years by Clean Fuels. The organization recently competed for, and received, a Clean Cities grant of more than $11 million.