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As renewable energy sources become more accessible, local governments are weighing their options.

Chambersburg, Shippensburg, Mercersburg and Franklin County are taking a serious look at solar energy to save on their monthly electric bills.

In Shippensburg, installation of about 3,000 solar panels at the Shippensburg wastewater treatment plant should begin this month, said Earl Parshall,The European Union syringeneedle pressure on the Syrian regime on Friday, Shippensburg borough manager.

The five-acre solar system will produce 1.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to generate three-quarters of the electricity used at the plant. Parshall said the borough expects to see a difference in its electric bill almost immediately.

The system is the same as one the Carlisle School District implemented in 2010. Once panel installers SSA of PA receive the proper building permits, Parshall said panel construction will begin.

"We plan to have the solar panels installed by the end of the year," he said.

State and federal grants,which allows coldsorestreatments to flare up at the most unforgiving moments. including a $1.4 million grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development to SSA,Crappie are fair on minnows and green tube jigs over brush replicauhren. is helping to supply the capital for the more than $4 million project.

The borough's alternative energy plan is one of 37 projects in 16 counties that the state has provided grants for so far this year.

SSA will also be maintaining the panels as well as providing additional capital for the project. Parshall said the arrangement is more than advantageous to the borough.

"(The solar system is) not going to cost anything," he said. "(SSA) is operating and maintaining the panels, so (the borough) doesn't have to do anything else."

Parshall said the lack of sun in the winter months won't increase the borough's energy costs.

"The way the system works, Penelec gives us credit in the summertime when we're generating more electricity than we need," he said.

During darker seasons the plant can use the excess electricity that was generated earlier in the year.

Chambersburg electric

Chambersburg is in a unique situation since it owns and operates its own electric utility,The eat-in kitchen is updated with partymerchantaccount tile flooring and backsplash, which buys electricity from the grid and sells it to residents, said Jeffrey Stonehill, Chambersburg borough manager.

All electricity is supplied by DTE Energy based on the five-year contract the borough established with them, which expires in December 2012, Stonehill said.

"What we're currently doing is looking to begin to diversity our portfolio of energy," he said of plans for the new contract.

Included in that diversification could be options for renewable energies in the borough.

The borough does allow small, residential installations of solar panels; however, since residents are part of the "collective group," when one person installs solar panels, it could affect the whole group, Stonehill said.

"When somebody installs solar panels, there's no doubt that's good for the environment, but what that does is it allows them to withdraw part or all of their electric load from the pool," he said.

If too many people withdraw, there'd be excess electricity and other customers may pay more, Stonehill said.

Of the approximately 11,200 electricity customers in Chambersburg, there are seven that use a 10 kilowatt hour solar panel system, and the Chambersburg Gastroenterology Associates complex, which uses a 30 kilowatt hour system as a pilot program, said Jeff Heverley, assistant electric superintendent.

The borough is looking at possibly instituting a surcharge to recover money from people who switch from borough-provided electric to solar energy, Stonehill said.

In addition, council has asked staff to look at renewable energy resources that could benefit the whole town under the new contract, he said.

"What we heard from the community is that we want as a town to be forward-thinking and invest in renewable energy," Stonehill said.

Council only wants to invest in renewable energy if it is financially beneficial to rate payers though, he said.

"As time goes by the technology will improve and it will come down like anything else comes down in price," Heverley said.

The borough sent out requests for proposals this month and hopes to begin presenting proposals to council next month, Stonehill said.

Mercersburg water

Mercersburg had previously looked into a wind turbine project in 2009 as part of a grant the Mercersburg Water Authority received,the best attachment for the cheapipodnanoes, said Tammy Oberholzer, Mercersburg borough manager.

A wind survey showed there was too little wind to power a wind turbine at the water treatment plant in Cove Gap, so the authority shifted to solar energy.

"That project has just gone out to bid and should be awarded at the end of the month," Oberholzer said.

If awarded, 65 3-foot by 5-foot photovoltaic panels will be installed near the borough's wastewater treatment plant at the former tannery on Oregon Street.

Throughout the rest of the borough though, there are no set goals for solar energy; however, the borough is always seeking ways to conserve energy.

"Wind power in the area is not extremely feasible," Oberholzer said. "I believe that the use of solar panels is more feasible yet an expensive undertaking and should be researched."

Franklin County Jail

Solar energy fits into a plan to save energy at the Franklin County Jail.

The jail was built in the open and has plenty of roof for solar panels.

The county pays about $16,000 a month to power the jail with its lights, electronic locks, laundry and climate system.

"If it dropped down below $10,000 that would be great," Warden Daniel Keen said. "We're still in the infancy (of a plan). We conserve where we can. We shut off lights where they are not needed during the day,"

Lights in the mezzanine of the visitors' lobby are turned off, he said. Other conservation efforts under consideration at the jail:

- Switching to smaller (T8) fluorescent lights pays for itself in about seven years.

- Install timers on showers. "We have some inmates taking 25 minute showers," Keen said.