Snohomish PUD Beats Annual Conservation Goal by Over 20%
Author:
Emily Zimmerman
Publication Date:
March 17, 2010
Topic:
Subtopic:
In 2009, customers of public power utility, Snohomish PUD, lowered their utility bills by $5.4 million by participating in energy conservation programs.
Snohomish's Program Portfolio
Some of the biggest energy savers were businesses, from local pizza parlors and car dealers to hotels and major industrial manufacturers. Business customers completed nearly 700 projects with the PUD, including lighting and HVAC retrofits. PUD also made a push to encourage area grocers to replace their refrigeration systems.
Residential customers got in on the savings too through weatherization and rebate programs. New for 2009 was a rebate and optional low-interest loan program to encourage customers to purchase ductless heat pumps. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, which PUD works with manufacturers and distributors to discount, remained popular with cumulative sales topping 3.5 million since the program's inception.
The utility continued to raise awareness for its conservation programs through its " Be a Conservation Sensation Campaign", which helps customers identify new ways to save energy. In 2009, PUD called on customers to reduce their energy use by 10 percent by signing onto the Energy Challenge. To date, 80 businesses and more than 1,400 residential customers have taken the pledge.
The Results are In...
By partnering with customers, PUD beat its 2009 conservation goal by 22 percent and collectively, consumers and local businesses lowered their electric bills by about $5.4 million. To build on this success, the utility has budgeted $21 million for its conservation programs this year and partnered with the City of Everett and Snohomish County to secure nearly $2.2 million in federal stimulus funds for energy efficiency projects in local homes and businesses.
Snohomish PUD serves 30,000 commercial and industrial customers and 290,000 residential customers in Washington State.
In 2009, customers of public power utility, Snohomish PUD, lowered their utility bills by $5.4 million by participating in energy conservation programs.Some of the biggest energy savers were businesses, from local pizza parlors and car dealers to hotels and major industrial manufacturers. Business customers completed nearly 700 projects with the PUD, including lighting and HVAC retrofits. PUD also made a push to encourage area grocers to replace their refrigeration systems.
Residential customers got in on the savings too through weatherization and rebate programs. New for 2009 was a rebate and optional low-interest loan program to encourage customers to purchase ductless heat pumps. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, which PUD works with manufacturers and distributors to discount, remained popular with cumulative sales topping 3.5 million since the program's inception.
The utility continued to raise awareness for its conservation programs through its " Be a Conservation Sensation Campaign", which helps customers identify new ways to save energy. In 2009, PUD called on customers to reduce their energy use by 10 percent by signing onto the Energy Challenge. To date, 80 businesses and more than 1,400 residential customers have taken the pledge.
The Results are In...
By partnering with customers, PUD beat its 2009 conservation goal by 22 percent and collectively, consumers and local businesses lowered their electric bills by about $5.4 million. To build on this success, the utility has budgeted $21 million for its conservation programs this year and partnered with the City of Everett and Snohomish County to secure nearly $2.2 million in federal stimulus funds for energy efficiency projects in local homes and businesses.
Snohomish PUD serves 30,000 commercial and industrial customers and 290,000 residential customers in Washington State.
- CEEP Staff's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Comments
Partnerships
Interesting community partnerships, it seems. What are the barriers for other utilities forming such strong community partnerships and making places like "pizza parlors and grocers" care and think about saving energy? Is it just a matter of publicizing the opportunities? Making them realize the benefits? Making it easy for them to get involved?