Governor Rell: Connecticut Partnership to Receive Nearly $4.2 Million in Stimulus for Energy Programs
HARTFORD, CT – June 15, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that a partnership led by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, a ratepayer fund to promote, develop and invest in clean energy sources, will receive $4.17 million in competitive federal stimulus funds for energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy programs in Connecticut.
The grant was only one of 20 awarded nationwide in this highly competitive national solicitation for towns with populations under 35,000. The Governor said the partnership estimates the project will create and retain nearly 400 jobs, save nearly $150 million energy costs, while leveraging $4.70 for every federal dollar invested.
“Connecticut has a well-established blueprint for supporting and growing alternative energy industries and CCEF has been a strong partner in that development,” Governor Rell said. “These funds will further enhance the strides we have made and that have made Connecticut a leader in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. It is an industry with unlimited potential, especially since the well-trained workforce it requires is already in place in Connecticut.”
In addition to CCEF, the partnership is composed of eight public, private, academic and nonprofit organizations and funds: AFC First Financial, Clean Water Fund, Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, Earth Markets, Efficiency 2.0, MIT Field Intelligence Lab/Empower Devices, SmartPower, and the Student Conservation Association.
The partnership will undertake a collaborative project to help residents save energy and boost clean energy usage through a comprehensive portfolio of actions modeled after CCEF’s award-winning Connecticut Clean Energy Communities Program.
The actions will be implemented by a consortium of 14 rural, suburban and low-income communities throughout Connecticut, including Bethany, Cheshire, East Haddam, East Hampton, Glastonbury, Lebanon, Mansfield, Portland, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, Wethersfield, Wilton and Windham. These towns are already Connecticut Clean Energy Communities and, under this project, will be strengthening their commitment to clean energy, energy efficiency and conservation.
The project aims to have at least 10 percent of households set specific, measurable goals of 20 percent energy savings and clean energy usage and provides support to help residents achieve these goals. The partnership estimates the project could reduce the production of nearly 250,000 metric tons of harmful carbon dioxide emissions.
Project initiatives shall include an innovative online platform involving energy advisors and leader boards for communities, an on-the-ground clean energy community corps, financing to assist homeowners with energy efficiency measures and clean energy installations, performance-based incentives to reward communities for meeting targets and a monitoring program to support both continuous program improvement and investment impact analysis.
“The collaborative efforts of all involved – including the initial partners, the participating communities and support from our Congressional delegation – helped contribute to a successful outcome for Connecticut,” said Lise Dondy, CCEF president. “We look forward to working with the entire project team to expand our community-based energy efficiency and clean energy efforts, help our residents benefit from significant energy cost savings, create green jobs and become a national model for increased adoption of clean energy.”
The energy grant was awarded by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through a competitive solicitation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The DOE dedicated $60 million nationwide in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funding to help local governments, nonprofit groups and quasi-public agencies promote energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
For more information on stimulus programs in Connecticut, visit the state’s official stimulus Web site at: www.ct.gov and click on the CT Recovery link. For more information on CCEF, go to: www.ctcleanenergy.com
Contact:
860-524-7313
