Kirberg Promotes Solar Panel Stimulus Funds

Kirberg Company, supplier of solar PV (photovoltaic) panels, has been spreading the word about $2.7 billion in government stimulus funds available
to units of local government, such as city and county departments, from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) for renewable energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The purpose of this block grant is to get money into the community and get builders and suppliers back to work fast, so the opportunity to receive stimulus dollars for implementing renewable energy into city and county buildings has a short timeline. The original deadline was extended to encourage increased applicants, with the final application deadline being June 25, 2009.

"It's very easy to apply for these funds and we're trying very hard to get St. Louis City and County involved," said Eric Kirberg of Kirberg Company. "The problem is that a lot of eligible applicants aren't aware of the grant and the deadline is approaching quickly. If the money isn't used, it goes
back to the government and the opportunity is lost."

Kirberg's effort to educate local government offices on the availability of these funds comes on the heels of Missouri Proposition C, also known as the Clean Energy Initiative, which requires utility companies to gradually increase their usage of renewable energy annually until 15 percent of the energy used in the state is renewable. This, for example, will require Ameren UE to store 8 megawatts of renewable energy by 2012.

"The best option for achieving this will be to build integrated solar PV panels into buildings," says Kirberg. "The panels fit right into the roof membrane of the building and work to reduce and recycle energy usage."

Interested parties can visit kirberg.com for more information on the grant and learn how to apply.

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