Dunedin gets federal energy-efficiency grant

Dunedin is one of six cities in the state receiving an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

The city will use its share of the funds, $149,500, to pay for four local projects, according to Public Works Director Doug Hutchens.

The federal stimulus grant dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The money is supposed to be used to develop and implement energy conservation and efficiency projects throughout the city.

With its grant Dunedin will buy eight solar-powered school zone flashers and place them in four locations around the city. The existing units, which require an electrical hook-up, will be removed.

The city will also install energy efficient LED lighting at the Hale Senior Activity Center and Martin Luther King Recreation Center, as well as in its fleet garage bays and fueling station.

In addition, stimulus dollars will pay for a Community Redevelopment Agency bicycle connectivity study that will seek to determine how to best interconnect city parks, the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, public schools, high activity centers and major employers.

The city also plans to purchase a nitrogen generator for the city's vehicle fleet. Tires inflated with nitrogen instead of air retain recommended pressure longer, Hutchens said. This reduces the wear and tear associated with driving on underinflated tires.

In addition, the purified nitrogen does not contain water and oxygen, which can cause tire breakdown.