New Sharp Energy headquarters breaks ground

Clean energy officials from Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, local and state organizations broke ground in early September to outfit Sharp Energy, a Chesapeake subsidiary, with a new headquarters and AutoGas station in Georgetown.

The new headquarters is expected to bring about not only a financial boon to the community with construction jobs and the consolidation of Sharp Energy services there, but also benefit local businesses such as Kent-Sussex Industries, whose officials say transitioning their fleets to clean-energy AutoGas is translating into bottom-line savings.

"Sharp Energy has been growing rapidly and we've outgrown our facilities," said Mike McMasters, president and CEO of parent company Chesapeake Utilities. "Georgetown is where Sharp Energy was born, so we are pleased to increase our presence here and bring new jobs to the area."

The planned 18,000-square-foot facility on East Piney Grove Road is being built to house Sharp Energy's retail and supply functions in one location with increased storage capacity and a centralized public center for dispensing AutoGas, a propane-butane fuel blend that produces lower emissions than gasoline.

Also at the event, Clean Cities Coalition Coordinator Morgan Ellis said this new AutoGas station helps align transportation- and climate-related policies for cleaner energies.

"Propane AutoGas is a key fit into what I do in increasing clean energy," Elllis said. "It is really making a difference throughout the state of Delaware."

According to information released by Sharp Energy, lower emissions from AutoGas translate into cost savings on fuel and maintenance with less frequent oil changes and increased engine life. Most propane is produced in the U.S. and since 2010, propane production in this region has increased from 2 million to 8 million gallons a day.

Kent-Sussex Industries CEO Craig Crouch leads a company that provides employment opportunities to people with disabilities and has added more than a dozen dedicated propane vehicles to his fleet of paravehicles that transport workers county-wide.

Crouch said this has translated into significant decreases in fuel consumption and costs for his company.

"Propane has been a good option for us, and it's good for our bottom line," he said. "It cuts the fuel costs in half, and they get the same mileage as with gas."

Expected to open in spring 2016, the company estimates construction will create as many as 70 new jobs in Georgetown and an additional 40 jobs in AutoGas when the fueling station opens.

Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, said he sees the new headquarters as a way to boost job growth in his community and invest in cleaner technologies to reduce dependence on foreign oil.

"AutoGas and fueling transport vehicles with propane have been around for a while, and as we see more of it, its become more affordable," Pettyjohn said. "But we also need a place to refuel those vehicles, and we are happy to have that coming here in Georgetown."