Posted
october 14, 2011
NYSERDA School Bus Grant To Help District Save on Costs, Protect The Environment
The South Colonie Central School District was awarded a near $100,000 grant this fall that will be used to help save on fuel and utility costs, while protecting the environment.
The $99,900 grant, awarded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will pay the cost of retrofitting 30 South Colonie school buses with diesel fuel-fired coolant heaters.
The heaters will provide energy for preheating the diesel school bus engines and passenger compartments, yielding both environmental and economical benefits. The new technology lessens the need for bus idling, reducing harmful emissions and saving on fuel. The district will also save on electricity costs as traditional bus “block” heaters will no longer be needed to warm the buses in cold weather.
“In a nutshell, this grant will make South Colonie more energy efficient and green,” said Sherri Fisher, Assistant Superintendent for Business & Strategic Planning. “We hope to have them installed later in the school year.”
There are many benefits to using the diesel fuel fired heaters, said District Energy Manager James Brown, who worked with the Transportation Department to secure the grant. The benefits include:
Reduced fuel consumption: Less fuel is used when running coolant heaters than when running engines to keep the passenger cabin warm. A typical diesel vehicle burns approximately one gallon of fuel for each hour it idles. By reducing its idling time, the district expects to save about $228 per vehicle per heating season for an overall savings of $6,831 a year for 30 buses.
Reduced electrical consumption: Electric block heaters traditionally used to warm diesel engines will no longer be needed. The new fuel-fired coolant heaters can be programmed to come on at certain times to have the buses ready to run. This is expected to save the district about $65 per vehicle per heating season in utility costs for an overall savings of nearly $1,955 a year for 30 buses.
Extended engine life: By reducing idling, the new technology will reduce wear and tear on the bus engines – saving on maintenance costs and increasing the engine lives.
Reduced pollution from idling: The new technology reduces the need for engine idling, in turn, reducing air pollutants that contribute to ozone smog and global warming. It also protects the health of drivers and passengers by reducing the harmful effects of diesel exhaust fumes. The district expects to reduce carbon dioxide emissions with the new technology by 51,300 pounds per heating season.
“This new technology is a win-win situation for everyone,” Brown said, "and because it comes through a grant, the money is free to the district.”
The grant will help the district supplement its longstanding, successful Energy Management program, which is celebrating its 10th year in 2011. First begun in 2001, to date, the energy conservation program has enabled South Colonie taxpayers to avoided nearly $3.2 million in energy usage costs.