Seven Chester County businesses are cutting their repair bills in half for building upgrades that promise to cut their future energy bills too. It’s all through a cutting-edge state grant program that aims to give local businesses with 100 or fewer employees a competitive advantage through energy-efficient heating and lighting.

“Energy efficient upgrades not only cut costs and increase profitability, they also benefit our environment,” state Sen. Andy Dinniman said in announcing the grantees. “These grants can go a long way in helping small businesses realize the advantages of investing in such projects.”

Sharing just over $50,000 in funding were Casmos Liquor, Deer Creek Malthouse and 243 World Domination, all of which maxed out the state’s offering with $9,500 grants for replacing HVAC systems; Paoli Cleaners, which maxed out at $9,500 but for a high-efficiency gas-fired burner to replace its oil-fired one; Swann’s Pantry, which received $6,902 for lighting upgrades; Greg A. Vietri Inc., which got $3,841 for warehouse lighting upgrades; and The Clean Store, which was given $1,597 to install a tankless water heater.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Small Business Advantage Grant Program typically provides half of the first $19,000 as a reimbursement for energy-efficient projects to qualifying businesses. Other eligible projects include solvent recovery systems, waste recycling systems and auxiliary power units deployed as an anti-idling technology for trucks.

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