NWI environment: Energy efficiency helps region reduce carbon footprint

Northwest Indiana businesses, cities and residents became green, energy-efficient machines in 2009 by instating wind turbines, solar panels, new technologies and environmental incentive programs.

Tracy Hall, a photovoltaic solar panel instructor at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 696, taught more than 40 electricians how to install the solar panels through IBEW continuing education classes. At the end of the classes they installed panels on businesses or homes in the region.

"Fossil fuels for energy are a finite resource, and we're running out," Hall said. "Do we want to wait until they're all gone to find alternative sources of energy?"

One of the beneficiaries of the free labor was Merrillville Town Hall. Between $3,000 and $4,000 in materials and supplies were donated for the panels' installation, Hall said.

Thirty solar panels were installed last spring at Town Hall, aided by a state government grant of more than $20,000. To date, the green energy has saved almost 9,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the air and saved the town almost $600.

Howard Fink, Merrillville town administrator, said the project demonstrated the advantages of renewable energy in the region and cost taxpayers nothing.

"The project was primarily a project to educate the region on the value of renewable energy and renewable energy systems and how important they are," Fink said.

Natural gas customers also saved money and helped the environment through NIPSCO's natural gas energy efficiency programs, said Nick Meyer, NIPSCO spokesman.

The programs helped save roughly 1.86 million therms, the unit of measurement for natural gas.

"It equates to taking 1,777 cars of off the road for one year's time as a result of the savings from this past year's programs," Meyer said.

Other programs include installing energy-efficient water fixtures in apartment complexes and giving rebates to customers who replace older appliances, like furnaces, with newer, more energy-efficient models, he said.

"Just for this past program year we've provided about 10,000 rebates, which equates to $1.6 million in rebates," Meyer said.

Meyer said the programs create a win-win situation, helping customers go green while also reducing the need for the company to invest in new energy and generating sources.

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. also helped the green energy circle by purchasing excess energy from wind turbines at Wolf Lake Memorial and Forsythe parks in Hammond. The wind energy is first used to power various park facilities. Any additional energy is sold to NIPSCO for city credit.

"The intent is for the credit to go to the whole city because we're not going to use enough of the energy," said Tom Kuhn, Hammond Port Authority chairman.

The $100,000 project was partially funded by a state government grant of more than $20,000.

BP Wind Energy and Sempra Generation, a company that operates natural gas and solar power plants, also got in on the wind energy wave.

In December the companies started commercial operation of the second phase of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in downstate Benton County -- the largest wind farm in the Midwest.

The 17,000-acre site will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power approximately 60,000 average American homes for one year.

ArcelorMittal received national recognition for its contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. The company was selected in May as a 2009 Energy Star Partner of the Year for Energy Management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ArcelorMittal reduced natural gas consumption by more than 25 percent at one of its batch annealing facilities at Burns Harbor, where cold-rolled steel coil is reheated for further processing. Energy and cost savings of approximately $4.5 million also were accomplished by adjusting raw material controls and inputs at a Burns Harbor blast furnace.

Steel production by itself is a green job, said Kay Nelson environmental affairs director for the Northwest Indiana Forum.

"Technically speaking, steel jobs are green jobs because of the high rate of recycling they do," she said, pointing out that half of steel is made from recycled material.

She said the NWI Forum has been approached by wind entrepreneurs in the past year and the organization would like to bring more green businesses into the region.

"They have the potential to improve the environment beyond the traditional manners," she said.

Times staff writer Jeff Burton contributed to this report.