2004

For Release:  Immediately - December 7, 2004
Contact:  Peter Sigurdson, NYSERDA, (716) 842-1522  ext. 3006
              Paul Bowers, Town of Amherst, (716) 631-7154
              Mike Power, Siemens, (585) 292-097

Town of Amherst Partners with NYSERDA and Siemens to Reduce Energy Costs at Wastewater Plant
NYSERDA provides $1.3 million incentive for efficiency upgrades

Amherst, NY - The Town of Amherst has partnered with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Siemens Building Technologies to implement advanced recycling and energy efficiency technologies at its wastewater treatment plant that will save municipal taxpayers more than $500,000 annually in energy costs and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

"NYSERDA is pleased to once again assist the Town of Amherst in becoming more energy efficient and helping to reduce energy costs for municipal taxpayers," NYSERDA President Peter R. Smith said.

"Three years ago we faced a choice. Either we continued running the wastewater treatment facility as we had in the past, or embrace a process improvement solution to achieve long-term savings for the taxpayers," Amherst Supervisor Susan J. Grelick said. "We chose the new solution."

NYSERDA provided $1,354,120 in financial incentives through the New York Energy $mart^SM Commercial/Industrial Performance Program (CIPP) to help reduce the end-cost of the energy-efficiency upgrades.

Under the program, financial incentives provided by NYSERDA go directly to energy service companies to help promote the development of this sector of the State's economy, and to lower the overall project cost.  In this instance, the Town of Amherst worked with Siemens Building Technologies to perform the upgrades.

The new technology allows the plant to capture methane gas, normally released directly into the atmosphere, and use it to power some of the major operations at the plant.  The captured methane will power a 585-horsepower gas-engine compressor that feeds an existing cryogenic oxygen plant.  The oxygen produced at the plant is then injected into the waste stream as part of the aerobic treatment process.

The wastewater treatment plant processes nearly 25 million gallons of effluent (sewer outflow) daily and now captures approximately 77,000 cubic feet of methane gas per day. The energy-efficiency project also includes the installation of a heat recovery unit that will capture 1.5 million BTUs of heat for the facility -- saving the Town the cost of natural gas it would normally purchase -- a second 585-horsepower natural gas-powered engine to run one of the four main sewage feed pumps, a state-of-the-art fiber optic-based control system, lighting dimmer switches and high-efficiency motors.

"We look for projects in which we can create a 'win-win' situation for everyone.  This is a good example of that philosophy," Siemens New York Manager Pat McParlane said. "The Town of Amherst wins with energy savings and the environment wins with cleaner air and water."

It is estimated that the Town of Amherst will save $500,000 annually in energy costs and more than 7.5 million kilowatts annually in energy use.

Since 1998, NYSERDA has provided more than $26 million to support more than 500 projects in Erie and Niagara Counties. Combined with co-funding from NYSERDA's partners, the value of these projects is more than $65 million. Among other customers NYSERDA is working with in Erie and Niagara Counties are: State University of New York at Buffalo, Ciminelli Development Inc., Quebecor, Kreher's Poultry Farm, HSBC Bank USA, and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

All New York Energy $mart^SM programs are funded by a System Benefits Charge (SBC) paid by electric distribution customers of participating utilities. NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation established by law in 1975, administers SBC funds and programs under an agreement with the Public Service Commission. The programs are available to all electric distribution customers (residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial) of Central Hudson, Con Edison, NYSEG, Niagara Mohawk, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric.

Additional information about these programs can be obtained at www.nyserda.org or by calling 1-866-NYSERDA.

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