Wood-pellet boiler heats Town Hall

SARANAC — The Saranac Town Hall no longer depends on fossil fuel to stay warm through North Country winters.

The facility is now heated by a high-efficiency, low-emissions automated wood-pellet boiler, according to the January issue of the town’s newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

Northern Forest Center Program Director Maura Adams announced in the quarterly publication that her nonprofit organization provided partial funding for the boiler, which is expected to reduce heating costs by more than $1,000 annually, as part of its Adirondack Model Neighborhood Project.

The Saranac facility was the first location to benefit from the renewable-energy program, which will provide up to $15,000 in incentives for pellet-boiler installations in 15 municipal and non-residential buildings in Essex, Franklin and Clinton counties.

Preference will be given to the target communities of Saranac, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake.

In addition, the project will provide up to $10,000 in boiler-installation incentives for 20 homeowners living in the target communities.

“It will help businesses and homeowners lower their heating costs; it will increase demand for wood pellets, which supports jobs in our forest-based businesses; and it will keep money circulating in the local economy,” Adams wrote in the newsletter.

She noted that those selected for the project will be required to complete an energy audit, the cost of which will be covered by her agency or the State Energy Research and Development Authority.

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