New Program Helps Municipal Utilities Access Clean and Efficient Energy Funds

From the American Public Power Association’s Energy Efficiency Resource Central (EERCnet.org)

As federal funds continue to be offered to finance energy efficiency projects, a new program sets out to help public power utilities make the most of the funding opportunities. Spearheaded by the Alliance to Save Energy Efficiency, the American Public Power Association, and the Large Public Power Council, with funding from Sea Change and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean and Efficient Energy Program for Public Power is a three-year program that aims to promote investment opportunities and strategies in energy efficiency and clean energy projects. Given the funds made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the program’s timing can immediately help municipal utilities create new, green jobs and save money with energy-conserving technologies and practices.

“Energy efficiency aligns well with public power’s mission of acting in the best interest of the community and serving customers,” APPA President and CEO Mark Crisson said. “CEEP will help public power utilities continue to provide affordable, reliable power by achieving higher levels of energy efficiency.”

“CEEP will help boost [the public power] sector’s participation in clean and efficient energy programs by providing resources that are tailored to the unique drivers and constraints of locally-owned and operated utilities,” said Jan Schori, former general manager of the Sacramento, Calif., Municipal Utility District. Schori chairs the CEEP steering committee, which also includes public power leaders from SMUD and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in California; Austin Energy in Texas; AMP in Ohio; Burlington Electric Department in Vermont; Gainesville Regional Utilities in Florida; Long Island Power Authority in New York; Lincoln Electric System in Nebraska; Wisconsin Public Power; and City Utilities of Springfield, Mo.

A major part of this initiative will be the CEEP Web site, www.cleanefficientenergy.org, where successful strategies and case studies from energy efficiency programs will be available for use by public power managers. These “tool kits” will include turnkey program models and downloadable template materials so utilities can quickly implement programs that have already been shown to work. These toolkits feature resources on innovative financing, targeted partnerships, job creation, and best practices, all with the aim of clean and efficient energy.

Through the site, CEEP also directs visitors to the right agencies for stimulus and non-stimulus funding and gives extensive guidance on how to craft the best proposal for success in applying. The program emphasizes that stimulus funding does more than just help a utility in its activities financially, but also represents an opportunity to link public power utilities to each other, other municipal agencies, state energy offices, and local partners.

Since its launch in February, CEEP has already co-hosted a workshop on innovative financing for energy efficiency at the APPA Business & Financial Conference in September and plans to host an annual clean energy summit.