Jan. 13--MT. VERNON -- Calvary United Pentecostal Church will be moving into a new building this Sunday, and the new building will feature a geothermal heating and cooling system with the help of a grant from the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives.

"This is not a conventional heating and cooling system," pastor Steven Edwards explained. "It's extremely efficient and utility companies nationwide are encouraging new construction to use this type of system."

Tri-County Electric Cooperative, which provides electrical service to the site of the new church at 406 N. 44th St. and is a member of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in Springfield, was able to help the congregation obtain the new technology with a grant of $12,467.

"We got in touch with the Illinois Electric Cooperatives ... they help with processing of grants for various groups to apply for grants when using geothermal heating and cooling in new construction," Edwards said. "We made the application for it and got approved."

The grant writing was done by David Piercy, and Edwards said Tri-County was also "instrumental" in getting the final approval. The system was installed by Holloway Heating and Air.

"They've installed quite a few of these systems," Edwards said. "This is the way of the future."

According to the association, geothermal heating and cooling systems are the most efficient systems available today. The technology harnesses the natural energy trapped beneath the earth's surface and taps into the renewable energy of the sun.

"You may realize that no matter whether it's frigid winter or boiling summer, the temperature of the earth stays fairly constant below ground level," information from the association states. "In Illinois, the temperature below ground is a constant mid-50 degrees. To heat, a geothermal system uses an earth loop to extract this heat from the ground. The system draws the heat from a fluid that is circulated from a closed earth loop, maximizing the heat energy through a simple refrigeration process. The heat is then distributed through a conventional duct system."

To cool, the system takes heat from inside the building and moves it back to the earth loop.

Edwards said the grants are designed to help with the higher initial costs of installation. According to the association, the system will produce savings of 50 percent or more than the conventional heating and cooling systems and pay back the initial upfront costs in two to three years.

The grant program, Geothermal Alliance, was developed to encourage growth of geothermal technology through a grant program. It is a collaboration between the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and the AIEC.

"The alliance supports the installation of new or retrofit energy efficient geothermal systems to heat and cool non-profit entities and public facilities served by AIEC member cooperatives," information on the alliance states. " In May 2006, when phase two of the program kicked off, the ICECF contributed an additional $500,000 to further expand commercial use of geothermal technology in co-op territories. Those monies will be available until funding is depleted."

Projects which are eligible for grant funding are public and private schools, churches, libraries, community centers, municipal buildings and other community or non-profit buildings.

Sunday will see the first church services in the new building, Edwards said. Formerly located on the corner of 25th and Jones Streets, the church has an average attendance of about 150.

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