Encourage Residents to Sign-Up For Home Energy Solutions Before Co-Pay Increases
Your Clean Energy Communities team is committed to keeping you, our partner communities, informed of program changes. Many Clean Energy Communities towns are actively promoting the Home Energy Solutions program to increase community participation and earn points toward Bright Idea Grants. As of September 1, 2016, the co-payment for Home Energy Solutions will increase to $124.
Reach out to your Clean Energy Communities contact to receive materials to post on your websites, social media pages, and newsletters to notify your residents to act now before the co-pay increase
|
Torrington Mayor Encourages Residents to Become More Energy Efficient
Last month, Mayor Elinor Carbone of Torrington participated in Home Energy Solutions to encourage city residents to follow in her
 f
ootsteps and have the service at their own homes.
"This is a 30-year-old house. We know that there are areas that very easily lend themselves to some energy efficiencies. So we looked at this as an opportunity to benefit from this energy audit, make an investment to improve our energy efficiency, lower the cost of heating this house during the wintertime. But also we looked at it as an opportunity to set an example, so any other residents in the city of Torrington who may be reluctant to invite this audit into their house see how it's done, realize the same benefits that we recognize will hit them in the pocket and also have an impact on our environment," said Carbone.
The city has engaged in a series of initiatives to increase the energy efficiency of the community in recent months. It has redeemed a Bright Idea Grant to host its second LED Light Bulb Swap on August 11 and completed benchmarking through Eversource's Municipal Technical Assistance program.
Eleven percent of Torrington households have taken part in the Home Energy Solutions program to date and Mayor Carbone hopes this number doubles over the next six months.
Read the full article in the Register Citizen.
|
September 10 - Save the Date
You are invited to the Semiannual Energy Task Force gathering at the Energize Connecticut Center in North Haven. Clean Energy Task Force working groups will: explore the path to carbon neutrality, resilient energy systems and integration of energy into local planning processes, share models, best practices, and tools you can use.
Join Connecticut's energy and climate partners: the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Eversource, The United Illuminating Company, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Energize CT's Clean Energy Communities, Connecticut towns and cities and Clean Water Action.
The Clean Energy Communities team is looking for your feedback and input. How has Clean Energy Communities benefited your community? How can the program continue to support municipalities and energy task forces throughout the state?
The workshop will be from 9am-3pm with the Clean Energy Communities update and input session expected around 11:30 - 2:30. The official agenda will be sent in the next few weeks. Register here.
|
Coming To Connecticut This October - ENERGY STAR Change the World Tour
Energize Connecticut is joining ENERGY STAR in changing the world, one community at a time. The 2016 ENERGY STAR Change the World Tour brings community service and energy
efficiency together to brighten lives across America!
Throughout the month of October, ENERGY STAR partners across the country will encourage consumers to choose ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs as part of community service projects that benefit those in need. If every American replaced just one light bulb with one that has earned the ENERGY STAR, we would prevent nearly 6 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year; that's equivalent to the emissions from 550,000 cars.
As a participant in the ENERGY STAR Change the World Tour, communities throughout the state will be hosting LED light bulb events and promotions. Connecticut will kick off the tour on October 1 at the Energize CT Center's Family Science Day followed by events throughout the month across the state.
Participating communities include Hartford, New Haven, New London, Naugatuck, West Haven and more. If your community is interested in hosting an LED Light Bulb event and be a stop on the tour, reach out to your Clean Energy Communities contact today.
|
New Haven and Milford Buildings Receive ENERGY STARĀ® Certifications
Recently, the cities of Milford and New Haven had numerous municipal and board of education buildings honored by the Environmental Protection Agency (
EPA) for receiving ENERGY STAR
certification which signifies that they perform in the top 25 percent for energy efficiency of similar facilities nationwide.
By making a citywide effort to proactively manage energy strategically, and working in partnership with The U
nited Illuminating Company (UI),
these two cities were able to significantly improve energy
efficiency in their communities
.
From left: Giovanni Zinn, city engineer, New Haven; Will Riddle, manager commercial and industrial energy services, UI; Garth Harries, superintendent, New Haven Public Schools; at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, New Haven
On June 16, members of the New Haven Board of Education and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp were joined by representatives of the EPA and UI to unveil the newly-installed ENERGY STAR plaque at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, one of five schools to receive ENERGY STAR certifications in New Haven.
From left: Kim Rose, state rep. (D), Connecticut 118th Assembly District; Linda Darveau, environmental scientist, EPA New England; Benjamin Blake, mayor, City of Milford; Donna Wells, director energy services, UI
Similarly, on July 12, Milford Mayor Benjamin Blake, city officials
,
and representatives of the Milford Energy Advisory board gathered at Milford City Hall alongside members of the EPA, UI, and the Milford community to celebrate the recent accomplishments of the city. City Hall
joins
th
e Parson's Government Center as an ENERGY STAR certified building.
|
Great Light Bulb Exchange Helps New Haven Residents Take Control of Energy Costs
On Saturday, June 25, New Haven residents were invited to participate in the Great Light Bulb Exchange at the C-Town on Ferry Street. Throughout the year, UI, in partnership with the Energize Connecticut initiative, hosts a series of light bulb exchanges in an effort to encourage residents to take control of their monthly energy bills.
Attendees are able to swap two incandescent light bulbs for two 60-watt equivalent Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs
at no charge
. One LED Bulb can last up to 25 times longer and uses about 90 percent less energy than an old-fashioned incandescent.
During New Haven's Great Light Bulb Exchange, more than 150 households were represented, resulting in the distribution of more than 300 LED light bulbs. Each LED will create a savings of roughly $230 for the residents. The City of New Haven will also receive a total savings of about $87,000, or
approximately $3,700 per year, and
19,043 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually.
Attendees were also introduced to
UI's Smart Room Air Conditioning (A/C) program
which allows users to control their A/C from anywhere using a phone, tablet or computer.
|
UI Hosts Stakeholders Input Session on Electronic Data Submission System
In accordance with the 2016-18 Electric and Natural Gas Conservation and Load Management (CLM) Plan, companies have been directed to provide their electric and gas data electronically. Currently, there is no infrastructure in place to complete this process. UI has teamed with Aclara Technologies LLC., a world-class supplier of smart infrastructure systems for global water, gas and electric utilities, to create a tool that will allow for electronic submission of this data.
On June 17, UI hosted a stakeholder input session at their Orange, Conn. campus. All municipalities and board of education members in the service territory were invited to attend and share their ideas. Ambassadors from 10 different municipalities were joined by representatives from Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships and the EPA. In addition, members of both Aclara and UI were present.
Attendees were heavily involved in the conversations and there was a general sense of enthusiasm to move forward with the project. This tool will roll out in a test phase over the next few months.
|
|
Last Chance This Year for Technical Assistance in Tracking Energy Consumption
Eversource is offering assistance to municipalities that have not yet set up a Portfolio Manager account. In order for your energy usage to automatically upload from Eversource, your town must have a Portfolio Manager account with all historical electric, natural gas, and heating oil consumption data entered. Please contact Mike Manzi at Michael.Manzi@eversource.com or Stephanie Rogers at Stephanie.rogers@eversource.com for assistance setting up your account.
|
|
| |
|
|
In this Issue
Re-Energize Your Community
|
Contact Clean Energy Communities to attend events in your area to help spread the word of energy savings and eesmarts energy education in your community.
Contact us today.
|
|
|
Encourage fellow Energy Task Force members, municipal staff, and your municipal CEO to subscribe to this eNewsletter.
Forward them this newsletter and have them
click here to subscribe
|
|
|
|
Follow Energize Connecticut and tag us!
Does your town or energy committee have a Facebook page?
Tag @EnergizeCT when you promote energy related
topics or services and you can earn special points towards your towns next Bright idea Grant!
Contact the Clean Energy Communities team to learn more.
|
|
Contacts
|
| Eversource (860) 665-5130 The United Illuminating Company Sheri Borrelli (203) 499-2583 Green Bank Bob Wall (860) 257-2173 |
|
|
