Wood-Fired Boiler Proposed for Pennsylvania High School

Burning wood chips instead of fuel oil to heat its high school’near Armagh, Pa., reports Trib Total Media.

The project would be one among other energy-saving proposals that are set to save United School District more than enough money to pay for those proposed $4.4 million in improvements, according to a report by potential contractor Schneider Electric.

Schneider representative David Kramer projects that the district would realize total savings of about $5.4 million over 15 years, once the equipment upgrades recommended by his company are in place.

‘You’re looking at a $2 million positive cash flow by the time 20 years rolls around,” Kramer said as he presented his company’s recommendations at a school board workshop meeting Tuesday.

Kramer’s company is looking to back up those projections with cash ‘ offering to cut United a check to cover any annual shortfall in expected savings under a proposed performance contract the firm is seeking with the district.

In a scenario presented by Kramer, the district’s savings would equal the payments needed to finance the $4.4 million project cost over 15 years, after which the savings would have a positive impact on the district’s cash flow.

According to Kramer, much of the savings would be realized through the lower cost of wood chips as a fuel source compared to the fuel oil United currently uses to run its boiler system. Those savings, he said, based on projections of current fuel costs, would be close to $300,000 in the first year alone.

Read on at the Trib Live.