The PennTAP team has become my go to for insight and information. There has not been a question I have asked that they do not know or cannot point me in the direction of a resource to help me. This group is truly in a class of its own.
The Need
Select Metal Litho (SML) is a lithography and metal coating company located in Greenville, PA, owned by Reynolds Services, Inc. (RSI). SML uses pollution control equipment to prevent hazardous air emissions from reaching the atmosphere. To destroy these emissions, SML had been using an older catalytic oxidizer, with natural gas as the fuel. The site was looking for grant funding to assist with replacing the catalytic oxidizer with a thermal oxidizer. This new equipment uses the hazardous air emissions as the main fuel source, reducing the energy used by 40%.
The PennTAP Connection
RSI was familiar with PennTAP through sponsorship of a Learning Factory project for the design of a sustainable sapling protector for the agricultural industry. PennTAP was also recommended to them by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) contact for this specific grant application. The grant program can pay up to 25% of project costs for rural businesses.
The Project
This project was funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. The site was looking for grant funding to support the thermal oxidizer project. After evaluating multiple funding opportunities, the PennTAP advisor determined that, based on the size and timing of the project, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant administered by the USDA was the best grant for the site. The PennTAP advisors helped with the grant application and conducted energy studies to ensure the successful receipt of funding.
PennTAP also reviewed the design layout of the planned thermal oxidizer and the expected operation to determine the data necessary to collect at the site. Moving forward, RSI plans to work with PennTAP on five additional projects across several of their companies.
The Outcome
The USDA REAP grant was awarded for $55,538, with potential to increase. This project will also lead to a total of $45,053 in annual savings.
The Industry Impact
Catalytic oxidizers are common throughout a variety of industries, and so there is potential for PennTAP to help several more companies make this transition to a more sustainable option.
SML is one of 74 clients the energy team has supported in northwestern PA since 2015 and is one of 96 clients PennTAP has supported in the metals industry since 2015.
About the Company
Select Metal Litho
860 Brentwood Drive
Greenville, PA 16125
Phone: 724-646-3781
County: Mercer
Industry: Metal
https://www.rsi.biz/