Energy Efficiency
Using Rebates to Expand Efficiency
A Colorado G&T is expanding a program begun nearly 25 years ago to encourage consumers and business operators to buy energy saving appliances and other devices.
“We expect the program to continue to grow,” said Keith Emerson, coordinator of Westminster, Colo.-based Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s energy management/energy services unit.
With 42 of Tri-State’s 44 member co-ops participating in the Energy Efficiency Credits program, thousands of consumer-members in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Nebraska have access to rebates and potential savings on future energy costs.
Consumer-members and participating business accounts shared a record $1.6 million in rebates last year—a 12 percent increase over 2007 levels.
The G&T is partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to promote Energy Star labeled products.
In early March, Tri-State announced plans to add several Energy Star heat pumps, air conditioners and home appliances to the lists of products eligible for rebates. Commercial account holders could benefit from a limited amount of matching funds available for LED street and refrigerator case display lighting, low-temperature heat pump and heat pump water heater demonstration projects.
“Many of the changes and additions reflect a greater emphasis on advancing promising electric technologies,” said Emerson.
To spark interest in the program, Tri-State will distribute 4,400 energy-efficiency home kits to participating distribution co-ops. The kits, which contain several low-cost, energy-saving devices, are designed to reduce annual household electricity demand by about 76 kilowatt-hours.
Many co-ops are likely to use the kits as giveaways at their annual meetings, and Tri-State is offering a cash incentive for co-ops interested in buying more. The energy efficiency program has helped Tri-State reduce demand by 73 megawatts since 1985 and saved its member co-ops more than 80,000 megawatt hours of energy, said Emerson. “We’re always looking for ways consumer-members can improve their energy efficiency and control their future costs.”