Annual Meeting
A Financial Side to Saving Energy
A commitment to energy efficiency initiatives can help co-ops put a bright spot on the current gloom of economic distress.
Duane Kexel of Power System Engineering outlines efficiency options. (Photo By: Luis Gomez)
That was the conclusion at a forum on “The Financial Side of Energy Efficiency,” where panelists said efficiency programs can save members money at a time when they most need it, and ease the power generation crunch a bit.
“Folks are hurting because of what’s going on in the economy,” said Tom Van Paris, marketing and member services manager at Hoosier Energy REC, Bloomington, Ind.
“To the extent that we can provide tools to help them manage their energy bills and take advantage of energy-efficiency projects … I think that positions cooperatives extremely well,” he said.
Speakers at the session, moderated by Raymond Beavers, general manager and CEO of United Cooperative Services, Cleburne, Texas, emphasized that energy efficiency is not a cure-all. But, said Kathleen Hogan, director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Protection Partnerships division, it represents a clean, cheap, readily available resource that holds the potential for $100 billion in energy savings by 2025.
The good news is that lots of little things, like more efficient light bulbs and tighter duct seals, can add up, said Duane Kexel, a principal with Wisconsin-based Power System Engineering, which works with many co-ops.
His firm identified 82 household measures that cost less than 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, about the current cost of wholesale power.
“Think of 10 or 15 programs at a minimum that you want to promote that cost you less than new generation and you may be able to reduce sales by 1 percent per year,” he said.