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The City Council is applying for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. One of the projects that would be funded by the grant is traffic light updates.

A possible infusion of stimulus money could help St. Joseph cut its energy spending for years to come.

The city applied last week for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant that would help the city reduce energy usage and increase energy efficiency. The program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — the huge piece of legislation commonly known as the stimulus.

City Special Projects Manager Chuck Kempf, City Engineer Roger Sparks and other city staff members pared a list of potential energy efficiency projects down to six. Mr. Kempf said the grant would give the city about $750,000.

The first idea would replace about 2,000 incandescent traffic light bulbs with cost-saving LED lights and lenses.

Another project would call for installation of fluorescent lights at Bode Ice Arena, along with temperature sensors and a computer-controlled building management system.

The next would install solar panels and a wind turbine to power the Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph. In addition to generating electricity, the panels and windmill would double as an educational exhibit.

The Water Protection Division could receive two electric trucks that would be used in place of gasoline-powered vehicles on the 32-acre plant site.

Upgrades at the landfill could add 12 methane gas collection wells. The gas could be converted into electricity with generators, which might give the city a chance to sell carbon tax credits.

Finally, the animal shelter could receive a drop ceiling in the kennel area that would reduce the amount of time the heating and air conditioning system has to run.

Mr. Kempf said the projects constituted a wish list and the city did not expect to receive enough grant money to cover the whole thing.

“If the estimated costs of those come in where we think they will, we won’t be able to fund all of them,” Mr. Kempf said. “The landfill project was a pretty high-dollar one. It would probably cause us to lose two projects, plus the landfill fund is pretty healthy, so we might be able to pay for it ourself.”

Mr. Kempf said the city expects an answer on its grant application around Sept. 1.

Clinton Thomas can be reached at clintonthomas@npgco.com.