In April 2017, Filtrine Manufacturing Company was awarded a Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant of $150,000 from New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to install a Biomass Thermal heating system at its plant.
The purpose of the fund is to support thermal and electrical renewal energy initiatives in the commercial and industrial sectors throughout New Hampshire. After issuing a RFP in September 2016, the PUC received seven proposals requesting a total of approximately $1.9 million in funds. Six recipients were awarded a total of $1,272,425 after a two-tier grant review process which included scoring criteria and interviews with PUC teams. The project descriptions were then presented to the Commissioners for final approval.
Peter Hansel (President at the time, now Chairman of the Board) said, “This grant will support our continuing commitment to finding renewal sources for our energy use to reduce our carbon footprint.” Previous projects include the installation of: high-efficiency T-8 fluorescent bulbs and electronic ballasts (2008), a solar hot-water system for use in Filtrine’s test facility (2010), and a 30 KWP solar array on the roof of its factory (2013).
Filtrine selected Froling Energy of Peterborough, New Hampshire because they are local and have extensive experience setting up wood chip boilers throughout New Hampshire. Filtrine will continue to use oil as backup for extremely cold days but expects to reap significant savings in energy costs by switching to biomass fuel.
The installation of a Viessmann Pyrot model KRT-300 Dry Chip/Pellet Boiler, steel storage silo and a buffer tank will be finished in Fall 2017.
.
