Consumers Energy will present preliminary plans today for a new six-year program to reward customers for reducing electricity consumption at their homes and businesses. The program, Consumers Energy Savings Solutions, will be one of several discussion topics at Energy Summit 09 at Grand Valley State University's Eberhard Center.
Governor Granholm signed a comprehensive energy reform package last October. One of the public policy decisions mandated that Consumers Energy and other energy suppliers would work with customers to reduce electricity consumption 5.5 percent and natural gas consumption by 3.85 percent by 2015, says Jeff Holyfield, Consumers Energy spokesperson.
"We are providing incentives for customers to put in high efficiency furnaces and air conditioning, compact fluorescent light bulbs and we're offering rebate to businesses that install efficient lighting or energy efficient equipment," he says.
Consumers Energy will work through major retailers to offer rebates and price cuts on a variety of energy saving products, including Energy Star rated appliances. The company plans to offer customers a bounty on refrigerators manufactured before 1993, and will provide free pick up and disposal.
The program will be finalized by the end of July. Holyfield says Consumers plans to spend some $500 million on the incentives. A monthly surcharge, about $1.75 for a typical customer, covers the program costs.
"The idea is that if the customers participate in the program they'll save a lot more than the surcharge after [factoring in] the incentive and the long term energy savings," Holyfield says. "The first go-around is going to be all on incentives, but especially on lighting. Energy efficient lighting is the quickest way to move the needle."
Source: Jeff Holyfield, Consumers Energy; Blue Strategies Group
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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