Cleveland, OH
Since launching Expedite Renewable Energy (ERE), thanks to the grant support of $30,000 from the Civic Innovation Lab, Stefanie Penn Spear has been working hard helping companies invest in solar and wind projects. Spear, president of ERE, helps companies through a three stage process that takes them from start to finish in investing in a renewable energy system.
Phase one, assessing and strategizing, provides clients with a feasibility study that gives options for the best renewable energy project for their site including an electricity usage assessment, extensive return on investment report, applicable incentives including renewable energy credits and next steps. In phase two, ERE applies for available grants, zoning, interconnection/net metering contracts, engineering reports, financing and the other necessary items dependent on the particular project. Phase three is implementation of the project from ground breaking to ribbon cutting.
ERE has more than a half dozen clients in the feasibility stage and two clients in stage two with grant applications being submitted this month. For the past several months, ERE has been working with Sheoga Hardwood Flooring in the heart of Amish country in Geauga County. Sheoga Hardwood Flooring has agreed to invest in a 750 kW wind turbine to power nearly 90 percent of its electricity needs.
“We will be submitting the Ohio Department of Development Advanced Energy Fund grant next week and applying for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy Development Assist grant next month,” Spear said. “If the grants are awarded, we will be erecting the turbine this fall.”
Creating power from renewable sources is nothing new for Sheoga. The company’s green efforts utilizes sawdust generated as a by product in the manufacturing process of solid wood flooring. Several wood waste boilers heats their more than 50,000 sq. foot manufacturing and showroom floor space as well as supplies all of the heat to operate their more than 220,000 board feet dry kiln used to cure and season the wood.
Sheoga is an early adopter of wind energy and is showing that it is viable for businesses to generate their own electricity and rely on cleaner, renewable sources of power. “This project is exactly what the region needs to grow the green energy economy and put people to work in the renewable energy industry,” Spear said. “This is a marquee project for the region, state and nation.”
Contact Information:
Stefanie Penn Spear, 216-387-1609,