LISBON, N.H. - The U.S. Forest Service has awarded DCI Inc., a maker of military and university furniture, DCI Inc. with a $706,000 grant to install a renewable energy system at its New Hampshire facility.

This marks the third - and largest - grant DCI has secured to fund a new wood boiler. The company also won a $250k grant from the USDA‘s Rural Energy for America Program, and a $500k grant from the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission Renewable Energy Fund.

This brings the total funds raised for the renewable energy system to nearly $1.5 million.

“We are honored to receive grants from the USDA, USFS, and the Public Utility Commission of New Hampshire for the construction of a new biomass boiler to replace the existing wood-fired boiler that has served us well, but is now forty years old," said DCI president Henry Kober. "The new boiler will operate more efficiently and will reduce particulate emissions by 75%. In addition, it is designed to burn locally-sourced whole tree chips to supplement the wood waste from our furniture operations in Lisbon, further reducing our carbon footprint."

Kober projects the new boiler will save DCI $390,000 annually in energy costs. The company will also recommission a steam engine generator to further reduce its dependence on the electrical grid.

DCI will power the new system with wood byproducts from its sawmill in Royalton, Vermont. The company's goals are zero waste and carbon neutrality.

DCI, Inc. is a family-owned, fully integrated, American furniture manufacturing company based in Lisbon, New Hampshire specializing in sustainable solid wood furniture for the higher education and military markets. The company's sawmill is FSC-certified.