On July 14, 2021 the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority issued a final Decision in Docket No. 17-12-03RE04, which establishes a statewide zero emission electric vehicle program (EV Charging Program), available to all customers and customer classes within the service territories of The Connecticut Light and Power Company d/b/a Eversource Energy (Eversource) and The United Illuminating Company (UI), collectively the electric distribution companies (EDCs). The program will be delivered over nine years, beginning in 2022, in three-year cycles, giving the parties and the Authority opportunities to update the program guidelines as new circumstances may dictate.

Connecticut Light and Power Company and Yankee Gas Service Company (both d/b/a Eversource Energy), The United Illuminating Company (UI), Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), and Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), collectively the Utilities, are soliciting a Request for Proposals (RFP) on behalf of the State of Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board for a Consultant on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) starting February 1, 2022 to assist in ongoing efforts to enhance equity in Connecticut’s energy efficiency programs for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. The DEI Consultant will report to the Energy Efficiency Board, working closely with the Board’s Technical Consultants, Evaluation Administrator, and EEB Consultant Committee, as well as the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Utilities, and other stakeholders.

Many older houses are less energy efficient, and with heating costs rising, many want not only to save their heat this winter, but also some extra cash. One couple was shown how to save on heat this year with help from their local utility company.

Orange, CT – To help Connecticut large and small businesses reach their energy efficiency goals for 2020, more resources are being dedicated to support cost-saving upgrades and projects to help streamline operations. United Illuminating (UI), Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) and Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), subsidiaries of AVANGRID Inc., are helping customers assess opportunities, execute updates and secure incentives that cover up to an unprecedented 75% of project costs.
UI, SCG and CNG have developed these enhancements for retrofit projects to support large Commercial and Industrial (C&I) businesses with rebates and incentives, however projects must be submitted by mid-December to qualify. Up to 75% of install measure costs for retrofit projects completed in 2020 can be covered under the current program offerings for projects estimated to realize at least 30% energy savings upon completion. Business customers are encouraged to begin planning for 2021 projects to take advantage of funding while it lasts.
Commercial property owners, energy modeling firms and architectural firms can also obtain attractive incentives for new construction. Eligible projects are based on whole building outcomes, including those that are using high performance interior and exterior lighting (LED), sustainable office design and system controls to meet or exceed green building certification requirements. In addition, there are now more than 40 available incentive measures for HVAC and food service equipment. For the latest in available incentives, visithttps://www.energizect.com/events-resources/energy-articles/incentive-s….
For micro-businesses like local restaurants, small retail operations, doctors’ or lawyers’ offices and private companies; virtual, no-contact energy pre-assessments are now available through the Small Business Energy Advantage (SBEA) program to support electric and gas cost-saving measures. The assessment allows business owners to address energy-saving improvements remotely with UI, SCG, CNG approved contractors, using mobile devices to share and identify areas where upgrades could improve energy use.
In addition to lighting systems or controls upgrades, measures can include sealing and weatherization, refrigeration controls and cooler upgrades, pipe insulation, HVAC system upgrades and controls or custom energy efficiency measures. After the assessment, a self-install kit of energy-saving measures will be mailed to the customer at no charge. At no cost, follow-up site visits following safety protocol might be coordinated to identify any additional skilled or licensed labor needed, such as specialty equipment installation.
For more information about incentives for large and small C&I energy efficiency projects, customers are encouraged to reach out to their UI, SCG or CNG program administrator. Visit BusinessEnergyCT.com to sign up.
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In one recent project, a retailer serving Trumbull, North Haven, Fairfield and Bridgeport areas upgraded its LED lighting and lighting control system with enhanced incentives that covered 75% of the total $553,700 project cost. Without the newly enhanced incentives, roughly $137,7000 would have been provided toward the project; with current incentives, the retailer will receive roughly $415,000 toward project costs.
“By providing these larger incentives, we can help our customers get back on track with their energy efficiency goals in 2020 and financially prepare for 2021,” said Elizabeth Murphy, supervisor at AVANGRID Inc. “These upgrades provide businesses with operating cost-savings during a critical time, supporting long-term sustainability and the viability of their business operations to meet new requirements or modifications.”
A large-scale, New Haven-based bakery recently leveraged an additional $32,000 in incentives, utilizing a total of $155,000 in incentives for their $186,000 project. With these funds, the bakery upgraded and installed LED lighting and a high-efficiency blast freezer, increasing overall production efficiency to support their nationwide distribution of pies and baked goods.
“Virtual assessments help micro-businesses, many of whom are feeling the negative impacts of the pandemic and continue to search for ways to save costs in daily operations,” said Murphy. “It’s important that we continue to provide strong support for small businesses to reach and maintain financial and energy efficiency goals and the self-install options can help them realize savings right away.”

#Connecticut #energyefficiency #green #HPNews

UI continues to provide tools, expert advice, and incentives for customers

As many commercial and industrial companies adjust operations and modify workspaces and employee roles in response to COVID-19 public health requirements, opportunities for facility improvements offer potential for long-term cost savings. While the health and safety of employees remain paramount, businesses are looking at ways to use Connecticut energy efficiency tools and financial assistance to support upgrades that can lower their bills and streamline their operations.

LED fixture

United Illuminating (UI), Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), and Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc., continue working with commercial and industrial customers to customize efficiency solutions. Limited on-site staffing and social distancing requirements provide a unique scenario for customers to implement energy-efficient improvements without disturbing employees. In some cases, split shifts or production slowdowns allow for upgrades to be made with little hindrance of operations.

Business owners and facilities managers can work with UI, SCG and CNG engineers to safely and effectively start new programs or continue efforts already underway. Engineers have expertise in performing minimal-contact assessments or remote assessments of systems, such as lighting, lighting controls, motors and drives, gas heating equipment, cooling, energy management systems, gas water heating, heating, insulation, gas conversion, refrigeration, and process equipment.

Michael Stein

“We continue to use our safety protocols and new pandemic guidelines when coordinating with energy engineers or contractors working on-site so that there is minimal contact with staff,” said Mike Stein, facilities energy manager at Sikorsky. “We still have energy conservation deadlines and commitments, projects which were approved last year, and must move forward in order to reach our company’s Go Green initiatives. We will also continue to explore additional green funding opportunities with UI for 2021.”

Customers including Sikorsky, Westville Music Bowl of New Haven, Bridgeport Board of Education, and RD Scinto of Shelton have focused on both indoor and outdoor lighting and lighting control projects. The outdoor projects allowed customers to have a contactless experience or leverage their own facility staff to manage the proper install of new equipment. Other indoor projects were managed around schedules and shifts to minimize contact and maintain the safety of all parties.

Elizabeth Murphy

“We have safely continued making energy efficiency and lighting upgrades at our new outdoor venue at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven. We were able to accomplish this project during these challenging times because of the assistance from the team of rock stars at UI,” said a spokesperson for the venue operator NHCPA Outdoors LLC. “Once current restrictions are lifted, these upgrades to our facilities will provide energy savings as well as a better customer experience.”

Municipalities and school districts have also utilized this time of closures as an opportunity to perform energy-efficiency measures. Bridgeport public schools, with minimal activity on campus and largely empty parking lots, have effectively upgraded outdoor lighting to energy-efficient LED fixtures. Even during typical summer months, these upgrades would have been more cumbersome to accomplish with daily school activity.

Funds to support these initiatives are still available through Energize Connecticut for energy cost savings, facility upgrades, and various improvement projects.

“Energy-efficiency incentives can be the positive factor that moves customers forward in making improvements, and our engineers are available to safely provide the guidance they need to maximize opportunities,” said Liz Murphy, supervisor at AVANGRID, Inc. “These programs offer cost-savings solutions for businesses as they assess long-term impacts and needs stemming from COVID-19.”

UI, SCG, and CNG remain committed to the safety of customers, contractors, and staff while continuing to help customers achieve their energy goals.

More time at home means more electricity being used. Nicole Nalepa spoke with Enoch Lenge, an energy efficiency spokesperson for Eversource, about how electric bills could be lowered. 

With many people working and learning from home, things like our computers, chargers, lights that are typically off while you’re not at home are now sucking up way more energy than normal. But there are a few things you can do to keep your bills down and save energy.

The Coast Guard Academy has completed a major project to reduce its overall energy consumption by nearly 50% and save more than $2 million in energy costs annually.

Staff from Eversource’s Home Energy Solutions visited the home of a city legislator recently as he took advantage of an in-home energy improvement survey.

A local dentist office updated more than 120 light fixtures in its office to make them more energy efficient.

It’s the second week of November but the winter chill is here and now is the time to make sure your home is ready for winter and that you’re not wasting energy….or money. In an effort to help homeowners create a more energy efficient household,  Eversource came up with the Home Energy Solutions program.

Gov. Ned Lamont reaffirmed his dedication to energy efficiency Wednesday as he toured a Farmington aerospace manufacturer. New England Airfoil Products, which builds engine blade parts, recently partnered with Eversource to cut the plant’s energy use.

When Sean Holmes was working in Germany during the summer of 2010, he became curious about a home construction project that seemed a bit off to him. Little did he realize that same house later would inspire him and his partner, Carla Waclawski, to build their dream home — a net-zero energy custom house.

A local supplier of boilers, burners, and water control systems is being recognized for reducing its impact on the state power grid to zero.

The efficiency moves — including high-tech ventilation systems that monitor carbon dioxide and control rooftop HVAC unit dampers to meet fresh air needs, and low-tech adjustments of window blinds to "harvest" daylight — have helped the school shave electricity demand in half. The building previously consumed about 1.3 million kilowatts per hour every year — now it's closer to 600,000 kilowatts per hour annually.

For Connecticut businesses, reducing operating costs is crucial to their bottom line, something Accel International knows very well. The specialty cables and wires manufacturer recently expanded operations, retrofitting a 177,000 square-foot facility in Cheshire to support its nearby Meriden operations. 

Eversource Energy Efficiency Expert Enoch Lenge shared tips on how to make your home more energy efficient.
 

Brian and Eliza Martel are making money as their South Canterbury Road home stays comfortably cool thanks to solar panels on the roof, thick insulation around the exterior and a host of energy-saving devices inside.

Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity and partners Eversource, Home Energy Technologies, Posigen and Connecticut Green Bank recently celebrated the construction of Habitat’s first Zero Energy Ready Home, located at 153 Roosevelt Street in Hartford. 

Local elementary school student Addison Nappi was honored last week as a finalist at the 14th eesmarts Student Contest ceremony held at the state Capitol.

Eversource is teaming up with Goodwill to help make 17 stores across the state more energy efficient.

Cheshire-area student Molly Bowman was honored last week as a finalist at the 14th eesmarts™ Student Contest ceremony held at the State Capitol.

Torrington-area students Abigail Chapman, Ailis Devlin, Tasha Harmon, Cali Purcaro and Greyson Shepherd were honored May 9 as finalists at the 14th eesmarts™ Student Contest ceremony held at the State Capitol.

Wesleyan University and Eversource have signed a three-year agreement officials of the company and college say will save 3.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

Mystic — Courtney and Lynn McCracken had spent two or three years looking for land on which to build their dream house.

For Seth Bahler, owner and CEO of the state’s largest dairy farm, the secret to being successful is simple — happy cows produce more milk.

Being one of the largest dairy farms in the state also requires Oakridge Dairy, of Ellington, to be very efficient, both in its processes of converting crops to milk, via its 2,700 dairy cows, and in its energy consumption.

The first hint for visitors that Jan Degenschein has built a special house in Norwalk comes courtesy of the solar panels on the roof, sloped scientifically to take maximum advantage of sunlight in northern climes.

An investment of more than $60,000 to make its more than century-old building more energy efficient is expected to pay off big for the Naugatuck YMCA.

Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe recently participated in Home Energy Solutions, an Energize ConnecticutSM in-home energy improvement service provided by Eversource, as a way to increase energy efficiency awareness across the community.

Every dollar invested in energy efficiency generates $7 back into Connecticut’s economy, according to a report by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board.

The Clinton Energy Committee recently recognized Gaduns Auto Body, 212 East Main Street, with the “Energy Efficiency Business of the Year” award.

Making just a small change here or there to show you’ve done work to lower their bills will go a long way with a buyer who’s about to take on years of mortgage payments.

The town earned the Bright Idea Grant from Clean Energy Communities, a program that allows municipalities to earn points for being energy efficient. Towns can then exchange these points for a grant to complete an energy-saving project that will benefit the community, according to the program’s website.

A weeklong adventure of fun, prizes and energy efficiency is coming to Milford Sept. 16 through Sept. 23.

A ratepayer-backed lending program for energy-saving heating upgrades has lowered its interest rates from 2.99 percent to 0.99 percent well in advance of winter.

Connecticut’s major utilities are reducing interest rates for financing new, more energy efficient heating equipment.

On Friday, Aug. 18, the Energize Connecticut Center will conclude its Renewable Energy Summer Series with a kid-friendly exploration on water energy.
 
The event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Energize Connecticut Center, 122 Universal Drive North, North Haven (next to Panera Bread in the Target Plaza). It is free of charge and open to the public.

Naugatuck Mayor Pete Hess II recently participated in Home Energy Solutions from Eversource and Energize Connecticut, a low-cost way to save money and improve your apartment or home.

Two 7th graders from John Winthrop Middle School in Deep River were selected in a state-wide EESmarts essay contest on energy conservation in Connecticut and were honored at the state capital building in Hartford on June 2. Jolie Edwards won first place and Ella Pitman won second place in 7th grade in a field of more than 1,200 entrants.

The Energize Connecticut Center hosted a kid-friendly, hands-on science series on July 21 that explored light, wind, and solar energy. One of the projects involved making a solar-powered fan—here Tarah Cherny watches from the doorway as Noah Cruz puts his to work as Peter and Joshua Britto ready theirs.

Representatives from Eversource recently recognized the Town of Litchfield for the ENERGY STAR® certification of Litchfield High School.

New Milford Mayor David Gronbach recently participated in Home Energy Solutions, an Energize ConnecticutSM in-home energy improvement service provided by Eversource.

Eversource and Energize Connecticut offer tips to save money and energy at home during these dog days of summer:
 
Clean or replace air conditioning filters regularly to keep the unit running as efficiently as possible.
 
Set air conditioning to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat can drive up your bill by 6 percent.

On Friday, August 18, the Energize Connecticut Center will conclude its Renewable Energy Summer Series with a kid-friendly exploration on water energy. 

A utility company is offering to fit a limited number of homes with free energy-saving devices.
The free program by Eversource, available to the first 80 Danburians who sign up, features a home visit by contractors who will:

MONTVILLE — Montville High School is now equipped with technology that could save the school $55,000 in annual energy costs. The school partnered with Eversource, its New England-based energy provider, to switch to LED lighting and install modern air controls and sensors.

Wallingford area student Olivia Cabrera St. Pierre was honored last week as a finalist at the 13th annual eesmarts™ Student Contest ceremony which took place at the State Capitol on Friday, June 2.
 
Presented by Energize Connecticut in partnership with Eversource and AVANGRID, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, the eesmarts Student Contest invites Connecticut students in grades Kindergarten to 12 and college to create projects about energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability.

The Energize Connecticut Center invites children and parents to become ‘Clean Energy Champions’ this summer and learn about Earth’s renewable energies – sun, wind and water. On Friday, July 21, the kid-friendly series explores wind power and how we can use it.
 
The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Energize Connecticut Center, 122 Universal Drive North, North Haven (next to Panera Bread in the Target Plaza). It is free of charge and open to the public.

The Energize Connecticut Center, 122 Universal Drive North, has scheduled a family-friendly event where children and parents become "Clean Energy Champions" for Friday, July 21, 2 to 4 p.m. The free program explores wind power and how can use it.

The Energize Connecticut Center, 122 Universal Drive North, has scheduled a family-friendly event where children and parents become “Clean Energy Champions” for Friday, July 21, 2 to 4 p.m. The free program explores wind power and how we can use it.

The Energize Connecticut Center invites children and parents to become ‘Clean Energy Champions’ this summer and learn about Earth’s renewable energies – sun, wind and water. On Friday, July 21, the kid-friendly series explores wind power and how we can use it. The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Energize Connecticut Center, 122 Universal Drive North, North Haven (next to Panera Bread in the Target Plaza). It is free of charge and open to the public. 

The Energize Connecticut Center invites children and parents to become ‘Clean Energy Champions’ this summer and learn about Earth’s renewable energies – sun, wind and water. On Friday, July 21, the kid-friendly series explores wind power and how we can use it.

John Winthrop Middle School classmates Jolie Edwards and Ella Pitman were honored last week at the 13th annual eesmarts™ Student Contest ceremony held at the State Capitol for their winning entries in the seventh-grade category.
Presented by Energize Connecticut in partnership with Eversource and AVANGRID, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, the eesmarts Student Contest invites Connecticut students in grades K-12 and college to create projects about energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability.

The Stamford Boys & Girls Club recently received a $4,125 donation as a result of residents’ participation in Home Energy Solutions, a popular in-home energy improvement service provided by Eversource and Energize Connecticut.

Energize Connecticut, in partnership with Eversource, has named Stonington homeowners Sandy and Jeff Alexander one of five winners of its annual Zero Energy Challenge.

The Town of Stonington and Eversource are working together to help residents save energy and support the Stonington Fuel Bank by encouraging their participation in the Home Energy Solutions program, a popular in-home energy improvement service provided by Eversource and Energize Connecticut, according to a release.

Students from around the state were honored Friday morning at the State Capitol during the 13th annual eesmarts Student Contest Awards Ceremony.

The event was to honor 43 finalists that participated in the contest – which asks students to showcase their knowledge of energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability.

Fourth grader Alexander “Alex” Patt of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford was chosen as a finalist in Energize Connecticut’s 13th annual “eesmarts” statewide student contest. Alex’s newspaper article was selected from more than 1,200 entries and he attended the ceremony Friday at the State Capitol.

Clinton-based Kenyon International, Inc., is seeing its commitment to being more energy efficient pay off to the tune of $4,100 in annual savings thanks to EnergizeCT, a partnership between utility Eversource and the State of Connecticut.

A recently built Ellington home is one of the most energy-efficient homes in the state.
The home of Steve and Janis Moser, at 55 Kreyssig Road, Broad Brook (the property, which also contains the Mosers' Sunset Valley Farm, straddles the East Windsor/Ellington line, and the house is in Ellington) was completed in August of 2016 and recently won the 7th annual Zero Energy Challenge.

Energize Connecticut has announced the five winners for the seventh annual Energize Connecticut Zero Energy Challenge (ZEC), a statewide design and build competition for single and multi-family homes. This year’s competition featured 17 homes from across the state built between June 1, 2016 and Jan. 31, 2017.
In this nationally recognized initiative, participants are challenged to construct high efficiency homes that consume little to no energy by using sustainable building practices.

Energy efficiency programs are a major reason behind the expansion of a Connecticut manufacturer whose client list includes some of the most recognizable names in the gun and military hardware industries.
Farmington-based Connecticut Spring & Stamping, also known as CSS, says it has added a second manufacturing facility and boosted its workforce by 200 workers during the past four years thanks in part to savings obtained through energy efficiency programs. The latest move is expected to save $8,171 a year on natural gas expenses in a state that has some of the nation’s highest energy prices, according to a press release.

Planet earth was the focus at a celebration at Energize CT Center in North Haven on Saturday.

The Energize Connecticut Center is hosting their 3rd annual Earth Day celebration today. Lisa Sarubbi stopped by our studio to tell us what to expect from the events and how the center can help save you money while becoming more energy efficient.

As the April 28th deadline approaches, Energize Connecticut, in partnership with Eversource and AVANGRID, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, is reminding students that submissions are still being accepted for its 13thannual eesmarts Student Contest.

With nearly two-thirds of a home’s energy consumption coming from space heating, air-conditioning, and water heating, a home’s mechanical systems are just as important as a home’s building envelope. This is particularly true when designing and building to the Passive House standard.

A zany cast of characters performed by Eastern Connecticut State University alumni is amid an ambitious month-long tour for a children's theatre production called "Earth Day, Every Day." Brought to audiences by eesmarts™, an Energize Connecticut initiative managed by Eversource and the United Illuminating Company, the play will tour Connecticut elementary schools from March 27-April 21.

On Feb. 24, the Energize Connecticut Center welcomed more than 60 children and parents to its first STEM night of the year with Connecticut STEM Academy. 

The Ellington and Coventry fuel banks recently received a $1,075 and $700 donation, respectively, as a result of residents’ participation in Home Energy Solutions (HES), a popular in-home energy improvement service provided by Eversource and Energize Connecticut.

Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the towns of Durham and Middlefield, and Eversource celebrated the Energy Star certification of John Lyman Elementary School recently with a ceremony at the school.

WEST HARTFORD — Nearly 300 West Hartford residents recently participated in the town's light bulb swap, where they exchanged over 1,500 incandescent light bulbs for new, energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® LED bulbs, free of charge.
 
Energy experts from Eversource were on-hand at the light bulb swap to answer questions and provide information about additional opportunities to save money by making their homes more energy efficient, including information on the popular in-home service, Home Energy SolutionsSM.

The Energize Connecticut Center, an energy efficiency resource and hands-on learning laboratory located in North Haven, concluded 2016 by celebrating its first full year of service.

Energize Connecticut, in partnership with Eversource and AVANGRID, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, is now accepting entries for its 13th annual eesmarts Student Contest, a competition encouraging students to create projects about energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability. The deadline for entries is April 28.

DERBY >> State and local lawmakers including state Rep. Themis Klarides, Rep. Linda Gentile and Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto, as well as representatives from Energize Connecticut, Home Builders and Remodelers Association and the Green Building Council were on hand to tour Connecticut’s First Zero Energy subdivision, Singer Village in Derby, recently.

Nearly 700 Danbury residents participated in the city’s light bulb swap, exchanging more than 3,500 incandescent light bulbs for new, energy-efficient bulbs for free.
 
Danbury residents who swapped out five of their home’s old, inefficient light bulbs are expected to save more than $50 in annual energy costs, according to a news release on the swap.

Brookside Development of Woodbridge has been recognized and selected to receive two 2016 Home Building Industry (HOBI) Awards from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut (HBRA) for its development at Singer Village in Derby, Connecticut.  The HBRA of Connecticut HOBI Awards are the most prestigious awards presented in Connecticut for excellence in design, construction, sales and marketing, and financing by members of the organization.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – With the start of winter it is important to remember that the cost of your energy bill will be increasing. Our friends over at Energize CT can help you save with a few home improvements to help keep your home warm.

A Connecticut home builder has been recognized for energy efficient construction. The Hartford Courant reports:
Eversource and United Illuminating announced today that Brookside Development, an Energize Connecticut Zero Energy Challenge participant, was recognized at the 2016 Home Building Industry (HOBI) Award ceremony for their efforts in zero-energy home construction.

This is the time of year when many people are looking to decorate the house and trim the Christmas tree. If you like to decorate in a big way, you probably see a big spike in your electric bill this time of year, but with improvements in LED lighting technology recently, you can actually save a lot of money now.
Those LED lights are right next to the incandescents on the store shelf, but they do cost more. News8 asked United Illuminating Program Administrator Lisa Sarubbi what LED lights actually give you for that extra money.

5 Singer Village Drive, the latest home in Brookside Development’s Singer Village community in Derby, Connecticut, has been completed and is currently available for sale. Singer Village is Connecticut’s first zero-energy ready subdivision, which when complete will feature seven net zero energy ready homes arranged around the property’s existing Historic Singer Home.

While vacationing at a sustainable treehouse resort in Costa Rica, Deb and Russell Heinrich were inspired to build their eco-friendly dream home on their 8-acre farm in North Guilford, Conn. 

At Two Roads Brewing Co., it’s all about trying new things. And that doesn’t just apply to its craft beers.
The attitude is behind the company’s two latest projects: the installation of a new LED lighting system and plans to build a $12 million brewery next to its present facility on Stratford Avenue.
The company finalized the purchase of the 2.5 acres next door earlier this year for $550,000. The property had been the remaining piece of land owned by the U.S. Baird Co. that was not under Two Roads’ ownership.

Paul Torcellini was named the winner in the Innovation for Custom Homes (for Buyers) category at the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2016 Housing Innovation Award ceremony held in Frisceco, Texas, for renovating his home to make it energy-efficient.

The state's largest brewery says it's on pace to save $17,356 a year in electricity costs thanks to the installation of an advanced LED lighting system, according to tracking by utility parent Avangrid.
More than 200 LED fixtures at Two Roads Brewing's Stratford headquarters were replaced earlier this year. The Digital Lumens system has advanced controls, including the ability to tune lighting levels for certain uses, as well as sensors that adjust the lighting depending on daylight, according to Energize Connecticut, which along with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provided funding for the nearly $159,000 upgrade.
DOE first announced funding for a commercial building technology demonstration project in July 2014. Among the four recipients that ultimately shared $6 million in funding was the New England Energy Partnership (NEEP), which had proposed an advanced lighting control project in 10 buildings in the region.
Nine were ultimately selected, including Two Roads, which was the first Northeast project completed.
According to the DOE, which visited Two Roads last month to see the new system, the commercial building program is meant to promote "technologies that are ready for market adoption but that may be underutilized due to market barriers including perception of risk, gaps in information and data on performance as well as cost."
The energy-use monitoring by United Illuminating at the site is meant to help validate the technology.

Come to the Energize Connecticut Center for a fun night exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with CT STEM Academy! During the free, family-friendly event, guests will build rockets, create towers, control a Superhero robot, and code with Ozobots.

States like California, New York, andFlorida are well-known for their energy efficiency and conservation policies and programs, and have served as national models since the 1970s. However, since the early 2000s, Connecticut has consistently ranked in the top ten nationally for its energy efficiency policies and programs. 

On Saturday, October 1, the Energize Connecticut partners – Eversource and AVANGRID, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas – will host their annual Family Science Day at the Energize Connecticut Center. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center, 122 Universal Drive North, North Haven. It is free of charge and open to the public.

Your current cooling system may still be operating, but there’s a chance it may not be running efficiently and running up your electric bill. As the summer heat continues over the next couple of months, take a look at your current system and see if it’s time to upgrade to an energy efficient cooling system.

A modern, energy-efficient building that saves money — what else could anyone ask for?

The Trumbull Center Fire District headquarters, located at 860 White Plains Road, has seen exactly that type of makeover over the last year thanks to the state’s Energize Connecticut’s Small Business Energy Advantage Program.

With summer underway, many of us are trying to wrap up home improvement projects so that we can kick back and relax when we have time off.
However, as you are finishing up these projects, don’t forget about making sure that the cool air you’ll be paying for this summer stays in your home.

TORRINGTON >> Mayor Elinor Carbone had an energy audit conducted at her home Wednesday morning, in an effort to increase the energy efficiency of her family residence, save a few dollars over the course of the year, and inspire other residents to do the same.
Representatives of Wesson Energy moved through the domicile Wednesday, running their hands over the nooks and crannies between walls, windows and doors, while an air blower attached to a door created a vacuum effect — simulating, according to Wesson building analyst Chris Borucki, a 25 mile-per-hour wind on all sides of the building.

Nearly 1,000 residents recently participated in the city’s first-ever light bulb swap at the Stamford Government Center, where they exchanged nearly 5,000 incandescent light bulbs for new, energy-efficient Energy Star LED bulbs, free of charge.
Each Stamford resident who swapped out five of their home’s old, inefficient light bulbs is expected to save more than $50 in annual energy costs. Combined, these residents will save $50,000 annually. Over the lifetime of the new LED bulbs, they will collectively save $1.15 million.

LITCHFIELD >> Eversource and the United Illuminating Company have selected four winners for the sixth annual Energize Connecticut Zero Energy Challenge (ZEC), a statewide design/build competition for single and multi-family homes. This year’s competition featured nine homes from across the state built between June 1, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2015.
In this nationally-recognized initiative, participants are challenged to construct high efficiency homes that consume little to no energy.

The city will host a free light bulb swap day for residents on April 9 and hand out up to five free energy-efficient LED bulbs in exchange for incandescent bulbs in any condition.  
The event will be held between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the New London Senior Center, 120 Broad St.

Thousands of lights across the city were replaced with higher-efficiency options as a result of a recent lightbulb swap event organized by the municipal government, according to an announcement sent out by the Office of Mayor Elinor Carbone Friday afternoon.
About 920 city residents attended to the event, according to the announcement, leading to the exchange of 4,600 traditional lightbulbs with LED alternatives.

The town of Groton has joined the Clean Energy Communities Program, which helps cities and towns save energy and boost the use of renewable energy.
To join the program, municipalities must pledge to reduce their building energy use by 20 percent, get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources and take other steps to support clean energy.
Once a pledge is signed, residents and businesses that take advantage of Energize CT energy efficiency programs can help the community earn a $10,000 grant for a community-selected energy saving project. 

To find out how to save some money on your holiday energy bills, News 8 went to the Energize CT Center in North Haven. Even if you’re just lighting a 6-foot tree for 40 days, the cost can still add up. Find out how to save now and in the future.

While most Connecticut residents have turned on the heat, some are bringing in a professional to winterize their homes.  Through Energize Connecticut's Home Energy Solutions Program, homeowners can bring in Lantern Energy Inc. to figure out where their residence is losing out.

A new study released Wednesday ranks Connecticut sixth among all states for its energy efficiency efforts.
This is the second straight year Connecticut has been ranked sixth in the annual study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Three other New England states finished in the top six spots in the survey with Massachusetts in first, Vermont in third and Rhode Island finishing fourth.

Mica Corporation, a manufacturer of water-based primers and coatings for the flexible packaging industry, and a participant of United Illuminating Company's (UI) Business Sustainability Challenge (BSC), hosted a round table discussion on sustainability and energy efficiency in the workplace on Wednesday, October 14th.
Representatives from several Connecticut-based businesses gathered to network, exchange ideas, discuss Energy Usage Assessments, and the advantages of being involved in the only existing utility-backed sustainability program in Connecticut, the BSC.

(WTNH) — Just days ago, it seemed like all of us were cranking up our air-conditioners. Just like that, now we will be turning on the heat, and bracing ourselves for those heating bills. So how do you keep your heating bills from skyrocketing?
“Through the Energize Connecticut Program, we have a really good opportunity for homeowners to save energy and money through a program called home energy solutions,” said Enoch Lenge, Eversource Energy Efficiency Expert. “It’s 99 dollars to a homeowner and we also have that same service at no cost to income eligible customers. It pays itself back in less than six months. We see an average savings of about 200 dollars per year.”

REDDING — More than 95 percent of Connecticut’s towns are now committed to make greener energy decisions.
Redding has signed a pledge to become a Clean Energy Community, an Energize CT program that promotes smarter energy choices. By signing the pledge, a municipality commits to reduce its energy consumption by 20 percent in all town-owned buildings and to purchase 20 percent of its energy supply from renewable sources by 2018. There is no penalty if the goal isn’t met.

 
Summer may be fresh in our minds, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to prep your house for winter, and one way to do that is with an energy audit.
 
Charles Houlihan and his wife Shelley did an audit. They said once their kids moved out of their 33-year-old Simsbury home, they noticed the house was feeling draftier in the winter.
 
"We've noticed it in some windows; we've noticed that we've burned more wood. We knew something needed to be done," said Charles Houlihan.
 
Enter Energize CT and its Energy Audit Program for Eversource and United Illuminated customers. For $99, homeowners can put their homes to the test.

The City of Norwalk landed a $15,000 grant that will be used to help residents replace old, incandescent light bulbs with modern, energy-efficient bulbs. Mayor Harry W. Rilling and Councilman John Kydes, chairman of the Mayor's Energy and Environment Task Force, on Friday were presented the check for the city's participation in Clean Energy Communities program.

A team in green will be once again be canvassing New Haven streets this summer, hoping to improve the city’s energy efficiency. The team, members of the Youth Conservation Corps program, now in its second year, will take high school and college students around the city, introducing neighbors to the benefits of energy efficiency.
Outside of City Hall on Wednesday, the group of students, all dressed in green, spoke with neighbors about the Home Solutions Program from Energize Connecticut, where professionals visit apartments, homes and business to advise the occupant on how to improve their energy efficiency. The service is offered at a low-cost, with eligible residents receiving it for free.

St. Luke’s School 10th grader Mary Zech recently won first place in the eleventh annual eesmarts student contest.
Mary’s project won the high school category, which asked students to design a community-based project to solve an energy-related issue in their city or town. Representatives from Eversource came to St. Luke’s School and presented Mary with her award.
Presented by Energize Connecticut in partnership with Eversource and the United Illuminating Company (UI), the eesmarts Student Contest invites Connecticut students in grades K-12 to create projects about energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability.

Department of Energy and Environmental Protection commissioner Robert Klee cut the ribbon to open the Energize Connecticut Center earlier this month while children and adults discovered energy-efficient and renewable energy ideas and solutions through hands-on learning in a fun-filled environment. The Energize Connecticut Center is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Labor Day.

Efforts by Connecticut’s two legacy electric utilities to promote energy efficiency and the public understanding of how they operate have taken on a new name and a new location. The Energize Connecticut Center opened recently at 122 Universal Drive, North Haven, CT. 

The house recently completed in the rear corner lot at Kaynor Technical High School has about 160 square feet of floor space. It would be small for a garage, large for a shed. It's a small house with a big job. It carries the legacy of a beloved teacher to whom it was dedicated during a ceremony Tuesday. It also carries a share of the potential to rescue Connecticut's environmental future, according Rob Klee, commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Even with a number of Town Hall employees occupying the same building, the New Canaan Police Department received a Summer Saver Bronze Award for reducing energy consumption.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection gave the award to 11 organizations or businesses across the state that reduced electricity demand and consumption by 5 to 10 percent last summer.

NEW BRITAIN — Thanks to an innovative program sponsored by Eversource, residents can save money on their energy bills and help the Mayor’s Building Hope Together plan to end homelessness in the process.
Two area companies doing energy audits through the Clean Energy Community program sponsored by Eversource and other members of Energize Connecticut will donate $25 of the $99 fee to the plan.

More than 990,000 Connecticut businesses, municipalities, and residents used the various Energize Connecticut programs last year, saving a total of $81 million in energy costs for the year.
Energize Connecticut is an initiative of the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board, which receives the majority of its funding from a charge on ratepayers' utility bills.

To help its sustainability efforts, The Jackson Laboratory of Bar Harbor, Maine, received a $1.2 million Energize Connecticut incentive for its new Farmington facility, which has since been certified LEED Gold.
Prior to construction of the Genomic Medicine lab in Farmington, which opened in October, Senior Facilities Director John Fitzpatrick worked with Hartford utility, Eversource Energy, to utilize Energize Connecticut programs and create a customized plan to reduce the lab’s energy footprint.

A Wilton builder and a Ridgefield architect were among the winners in the fifth-annual Connecticut Zero Energy Challenge (ZEC), a statewide design/build competition for single and multi-family homes.
Energize Connecticut with its utility partners, Eversource (formerly Connecticut Light & Power) and the United Illuminating Company, named three winners in the contest, which included 11 homes from across the state built between June 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2014.

Energize Connecticut, in partnership with Eversource Energy and the United Illuminating Company, is now accepting entries for its eleventh annual eesmarts Student Contest for students in grades K-12. The contest is open to all students in Connecticut and the deadline for entries is April 24, 2015.
The eesmarts Student Contest invites students to create projects about energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability. Finalists for each grade level will be honored at a special awards ceremony on June 5 at the State Capitol in Hartford.

Connecticut's C-PACE program allocated $65 million for more than 90 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in its first two years, according to a report by administrator Connecticut Green Bank.
The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program allows business property owners to make energy upgrades with no upfront costs by providing low-cost financing where the monthly debt service is less than the energy cost savings achieved.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will propose a residential solar credit program he hopes will attract $1 billion in private investment, he announced Tuesday.
As part of the legislative package he will introduce later this month, Malloy will propose a Solar Home Energy Renewable Credit program where owners of solar arrays on residential property can receive 15-year contracts from the state's utilities to sell the credits they receive by generating renewable power.

Norwalk officials gathered Friday to celebrate new energy conservation efforts at City Hall that they say will save the city money and reduce its carbon footprint.
The project spearheaded by the Mayor’s Energy and Environment Task Force will see more than 2,000 fluorescent light fixtures at City Hall replaced with high efficiency T8 bulbs. The city has also replaced two 27- year-old boilers in City Hall’s basement with three new condensing boilers. The new fixtures are expected to save the city thousands of dollars a year in energy costs.

Will a hands-on energy efficiency exhibit aimed at children help them to think about their carbon footprint? 
That's the hope at the Connecticut Science Center, where a recently-updated "Energy City" exhibit includes interactive features that invites children to understand energy efficiency.
The exhibit surrounds visiting children  with replicas of alternative sources such as wind turbines, solar panels, hydropower, and fuel cells. An energy-efficient house with model appliances encourages children to think about how their families may be overusing their own heating system and other appliances.

The Connecticut Science Center has “amped” up the fun factor in its Energy City gallery with brand-new hands-on activities that teach visitors all about energy. Science Center guests will discover the importance and benefits of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy-saving measures that can be applied in their own homes. The new exhibits are made possible with the generous support of Energize Connecticut, an initiative dedicated to showing Connecticut residents how to make smart energy choices.

Students who helped to construct an "E-House" using energy-efficient systems on the campus of Abbott Technical High School likely won't have any trouble finding a job when they graduate.
In fact, representatives from at least one area company were on hand recently to see the project and check out some of the soon-to-graduate students as prospective employees.
"We have a real labor shortage in the industry," said Stephen Hartmann, a manager with the Danbury-based Ross Solar Group. "We just can't find enough people who know how to do this stuff."

More than 400 Thomaston residents participated in the town's first ever light bulb swap, exchanging more than 2,500 traditional incandescent light bulbs for efficient LED bulbs, free of charge.
The swap was funded through a $5,000 grant administered by Berlin electric utility Connecticut Light & Power. Thomaston received the grant because of the community's participation in the Energize Connecticut program, administered by CL&P and Orange electric utility United Illuminating.

The Town Council on Wednesday agreed to join a voluntary energy conservation initiative.
The council voted 7-0 to join the Clean Energy Communities program, sponsored by CL&P and Yankee Gas. The council agreed to a non-binding pledge, as have 116 other communities in the state, CL&P Community Relations Specialist Patricia C. Banzes said.
The program seeks to reduce municipal energy consumption by 20 percent by 2018. It also commits member towns to increase to 20 percent the amount of energy they receive from renewable energy sources by the same 2018 deadline.

Energize Connecticut recently launched a new video series on its website, EnergizeCT.com, to help Connecticut residents understand the value of energy efficiency and make smart energy choices.  According to Energize Connecticut, the overall goal of the series is to help residents get the most efficient energy performance out of their home or small business so that they can start saving money on their monthly energy bills.

Residents of a Naugatuck apartment complex are expected to save $200 a year in electric costs and more than $350 annually in gas costs with the completion earlier this month of an energy efficiency project.
Thirty-two apartment units were renovated with energy-saving technologies and weatherization at no cost to the Naugatuck Housing Authority or residents.
Upgrades include installing insulation, new bulbs for lighting fixtures, low-flow showerheads and faucets and weatherizing interior, exterior and basement areas.

The Town of Brookfield is working to help residents reduce their energy consumption, save money on their energy bills, and support Brookfield Social Services by encouraging participation in Energize Connecticut’s Home Energy SolutionsSM (HES) program.
Home Energy Solutions, brought to you by CL&P and Yankee Gas, is a convenient in-home service designed to help you save money on your energy bills and make your home more comfortable year round.

The Metropolitan District (MDC) was recognized by Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and Energize Connecticut for the installation of new energy efficient equipment at the Hartford Water Pollution Control Facility. MDC officials received a special plaque during a ceremony, held at the MDC’s headquarters, celebrating completion of the energy-saving upgrades.
The MDC and its consultants, JK Muir and Arcadis, worked with energy experts from CL&P to complete the energy efficiency upgrades as part of the Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) Phase II Project.

Norwalk is taking further steps toward green energy efficiency.
"The first thing that we do is a blower-door test, which will depressurize the home and show all of the leaky and drafty areas of the home," said Collin Babbage, community outreach coordinator for New England Smart Energy. 

Firestone Building Products Company, LLC announced that its Bristol, Conn. manufacturing facility was recognized by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) as a 2014 Northeast Business Leader for Energy Efficiency. The Northeast Business Leaders for Energy Efficiency recognition program highlights the accomplishments of organizations that are participating in energy efficiency programs across the region.
“I’m proud that the energy efficient renovations at our Bristol, Conn. facility were recognized by NEEP,” said Clint Baty, Bristol plant manager. “The energy reduction improvement project demonstrates our focus on sustainability and reducing our environmental footprint. When it comes to energy efficiency, Firestone Building Products is committed to producing results.”

The town of New Milford needs just 40 more homes to join in the Clean Energy Communities Municipal Pledge to be in the running for a $10,000 grant from Connecticut Light & Power.
In May, town officials entered the pledge, saying they would reduce municipal building energy consumption 20 percent by 2018. The town also pledged to purchase 20 percent of its municipal building electricity from clean, renewable energy sources by 2018.

The towns of East Lyme, Franklin, Ledyard, Lisbon, Lyme, Old Lyme, Preston, Sprague, and Waterford have all recently signed a pledge to commit to Clean Energy Communities, an Energize Connecticut program that incentivizes Connecticut municipalities to support energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Under the Clean Energy Communities program, each town pledged to reduce municipal building energy consumption by 20 percent by 2018, attain 20 percent of municipal electricity needs from renewable sources by 2018, or take other actions to support the deployment of clean energy.

Trade-school students at Norwich Technical High School and Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School in Groton participated in the first-ever Connecticut Clean Trades Summit at Central Connecticut State University last month.
Students from five schools statewide presented findings and recommendations from a year-long investigation of their school's energy usage and sustainability practices. The schools will receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 for students to implement their energy-saving proposals during the next school year.

Thanks to hard work from the Wilton community on green initiatives and a resulting $10,000 Bright Ideas grant funded by CL&P and Yankee Gas, the yellow farmhouse at Ambler Farm was made significantly more energy efficient last week.
The farmhouse — a town-owned antique building that is the home of Ambler Farm’s program coordinator Kevin Meehan and his family — has been completely retrofitted with advanced-technology insulation and high-efficiency light bulbs thanks to the grant. New England Smart Energy Group performed much of the work on the house as its general contractor, while Sky Property Services installed the insulation.

NORWALK -- For over 30 years, the family-owned Silver Star Diner on Connecticut Avenue has been a popular location for Norwalk residents, and passersby who can see the diner's iconic sign going down I-95 near Exit 14.
Yet with any eatery comes a boatload of expenses, no matter how popular the establishment.
However, the Silver Star, working with the contracting company Earthlight Technologies as well as Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and Yankee Gas, through the state regulated Energize Connecticut's Small Business Advantage Program, recently instituted several energy efficient changes, which will end up saving owner Alex Savvidis almost $20,000 a year.

BPC Green Builders is quickly becoming one of the leaders in the region in green building methods.
The company, which is based in Wilton, recently won the Connecticut Zero Energy Challenge for using green construction methods to build a home near Lake Waubeeka in Danbury that uses 90 percent less electricity than the typical house.

Recent events in Connecticut's competitive electric marketplace underscore the need for customers to understand their electric bills and competitive service options to make the best choices.

Nearly three years after Connecticut enacted a landmark energy law, demand for solar installations is rising — not at the same pace of neighboring Massachusetts, but giving the industry here all the work it can handle for now.
Today, more than 100 businesses are authorized to install solar photovoltaic systems under varying Connecticut incentive programs, which businesses and residents have snapped up even as installers have struggled to keep up with burgeoning demand.

Beginning this week, more than 340,000 Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) customers will be automatically enrolled in a new, free energy-saving service called Home Energy Reports, an Energize Connecticut initiative.

Even on rainy April mornings, Mike Randich's house is collecting energy.
Randich, along with Avon-based building company Wolfworks, completed a home this year that was awarded a $10,000 prize from the Zero Energy Challenge, a competition put on by Energize Connecticut -- which is overseen by Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating. 
As is the purview of the contest, Randich's home is zero energy. According to Enoch Lenge, an energy efficiency spokesperson for Connecticut Light & Power, the home doesn't consume any more energy than it produces.

Renaissance Farm in Warren recently won an energy saving prize from Energize Connecticut, Connecticut Light & Power and The United Illuminating Company among the five winners announced last month. The fourth-annual Connecticut Zero Energy Challenge is a statewide design and build competition for single and multi-family homes, according to a press release. The farmhouse in Warren was among the 11 homes across the state built between June 1, 2012 and December 1, 2013, featured in this year’s competition.

The city of Shelton has been recognized for its commitment to energy efficiency by the state’s Clean Energy Communities program.
Shelton will receive the maximum $15,000 Bright Idea Grant to use on an energy-saving project. It was one of 23 municipalities to recently receive a grant of $5,000 to $15,000 through the program.

New heating and cooling control systems, upgrades in some components and more efficient street lights and other devices could shave nearly $1 million from energy costs at municipal buildings and schools, consultants told the school board Thursday night.

Efforts to encourage energy conservation have paid off for Bristol and New Britain, which each got $15,000 Monday for a new energy-saving project.
They were among 23 communities recognized by the Clean Energy Communities program, which is pushing to slash the electricity and fuel used by local governments.

Twenty-three Connecticut communities are being recognized for their efforts to improve energy efficiency at municipal buildings.
The municipalities are earning their "Bright Idea Grant" through the Clean Energy Communities program. The initiative offers grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 to fund energy-saving project selected by the community.

Hundreds of working families can save thousands of dollars on their utility costs because energy-efficient boilers, lighting, insulation and other features are being installed at the Mill Ridge public housing complex.
The more than $2.2 million project spearheaded by Connecticut Light & Power and financed through the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, is one of the largest of its kind in the state for public housing projects.
 

The Waterbury Republican-American reported that Connecticut last year used millions fewer kilowatt-hours of energy through participation in energy savings programs. The state's residents, businesses and communities saved about 285.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2013 by partaking in Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, or CEEF, programs, the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board said in its 24-page 2013 Programs and Operations Report. The kilowatt-hour savings translates into a cost savings of $53.4 million annually and $630 million over the lifetime of the energy-saving measures performed. Read the full article (PDF).

Connecticut's business, residents, and municipalities will save $53.4 million annually because of the energy efficiency measures installed in 2013.
The Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board released its report for the 2013 detailing participation in its programs for the year.

An office facility based at 100 Roscommon Ave. was one of 13 properties from across the state recognized for their involvement in the first year of the state’s Industrial Property Assessed Clean Energy or C-PACE program. 
According to C-PACE Director Jessica Bailey, the program helps state commercial, industrial and multi-family property owners access affordable, long-term financing for smart energy upgrades to their buildings. 

The town’s 20-week solar installation drive, Solarize Cheshire, is ramping up its promotion with three events in the next six days.
The program is part of a state initiative called Solarize Connecticut that offers special inducements to residents in participating municipalities to convert to solar energy during their town’s five-month eligibility period. Incentives for new customers include solar loans and discounted installation if they use one of their town’s designated installers.

Connecticut added 420 new jobs in the solar manufacturing and installation sector last year, bringing total employment to more than 1,100, according to a report released by Environment Connecticut.

A regional environmental group is urging Connecticut officials and those in other New England states to take a series of steps to reduce air pollution.
Environment Northeast, or ENE as it is known, released a report Monday called “EnergyVision: A Pathway to a Modern, Sustainable Low Carbon Economic and Environmental Future.” The 24-page report calls for reforms in four areas that the group claims will produce a cleaner, lower-cost energy system in the region.
Those reforms include making broader use of electric vehicles; modernizing the regional power grid; expanding the use of renewable energy; and improving upon energy efficiency efforts.

With its commitment not only to renewable energy, but also in keeping the industry competitive, Connecticut is on the frontlines in the war against climate change, according to Daniel C. Esty, the state's commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Power usage on the New England grid leveled off a bit Wednesday as temperatures began to slowly rise. But prices were still running high – more than $300 a megawatt hour at times - as the Independent System Operator that manages the grid, ISO New England, continued to use more expensive oil- and coal-fired generation.

The common council has approved a deal with a local solar energy company to install solar panels at the Higby Water Treatment Facility.
Under the contract approved Monday night, Greenskies Renewable Energy would build a solar array near the Mount Higby Reservoir that would provide 100 percent of the power needed for the facility during daytime operations.

Jonathan Duncklee admits that Connecticut's Zero Emissions Renewable Energy Credit Program may not be for everyone, but with patience and perseverance and an eye on the future, his heating and cooling business has been able to save between $200 and $500 a month on energy costs, he said.

The town will host an open house Saturday and a workshop next week to try to boost residents' interest in solar power.
Glastonbury is teaming up with the Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority and SmartPower to offer "Solarize Glastonbury!" The program encourages the installation of photovoltaic systems at residential properties by offering discounts and other assistance. The initial meeting last month attracted more than 100 residents.

An energy conservation program has had great success with city residents.That's according to energy companies and city officials who helped sign up residents for energy audits over the summer and fall which translated into energy upgrades to hundreds of city homes.The program, called Energize Waterbury, is part of a larger Energize Connecticut program administered by the state's largest utilities Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas. The program is supported by local municipalities and the state and offers energy audits to residents at a deep discount.

A partnership between the town and Connecticut Light & Power’s Clean Energy Communities program is helping support youth and encourage residents to take advantage of energy efficiency, starting with a $1,625 check to Berlin Upbeat on Tuesday.
Connecticut has focused on energy efficiency and conservation in recent years, aiming to become one of the nation’s cleanest state, and Berlin youth are taking full advantage of programs that will improve the community, save residents on home costs and provide funding for youth leadership programs all at the same time.

Letecia Colon de Mejias was enjoying a fulfilling career in health care when a friend suggested they watch a film about energy conservation called "Killowatt Ours — A Plan to Re-energize America."
Jeffrey Barrie's award-winning documentary about taking personal responsibility to conserve energy and save the planet hit the 37-year-old Windsor resident like a thunderbolt.
"It was a pivotal moment for me," Colon de Mejias said of that 2009 screening. "It changed my life. It brought home the concept that we personally are responsible for global warming. I feel like everyone has a reason for why we're here on earth. Everyone has a calling. And I felt all of a sudden that all of these multiple skill sets that I've been developing over the years, that I could make a difference."

SolarCity, a California solar panel installer that has been building its Connecticut presence since 2011, said its energy storage system that uses Tesla battery technology is now available to businesses in Eversource territory.

The White House issued a press release today saying that President Obama had signed a Memorandum directing the federal government to more than double its use of renewable power by 2020. This is the latest step that the President has taken under the Climate Action Plan that he announced in June.

The governors of New England's six states have signed a rare pact to launch new major energy infrastructure projects that could help drive down heat and power rates in the region.
"What we face in New England is a serious energy infrastructure deficit," Connecticut energy commissioner Daniel Esty said in an interview.

The Northeast initiative that includes Connecticut wants the federal government to consider it as the model for reducing greenhouse gas pollution from power plants.

Thirty-five Connecticut communities are being recognized for their efforts to improve energy efficiency.
The 35 municipalities will earn their first "Bright Idea Grant" through the Clean Energy Communities program. The grants range from $5,000 to $15,000 and can be used toward an energy-saving project selected by the community.
Local Coverage
WFSB, WTNH, CBS - Connecticut, Republican-American, CTPost.com, Stamford Advocate.com, Greenwichtime.com, Newstimes.com
National Coverage
The Republic, Daily Journal, SFGate, SeattlePI

Home Energy Solutions is a program sponsored by Eversource designed to help homeowners improve their energy efficiency. For a cost of $75 (electric or natural gas heat) or $99 (oil or propane) technicians from a firm certified by Eversource will visit your home with the goal of helping you reduce energy consumption.

Bristol Hospital received recognition Tuesday from Eversource for a year-long $1.75 million project that it recently completed upgrading its infrastructure to make its facility more energy efficient.

Howell Cheney Technical High School introduced its new E-House Thursday, a working laboratory in energy-efficient construction.
Designed and built from the ground up by students, the approximately 750-square-foot building is outfitted with solar energy systems, a wifi smart thermostat and other materials on the cutting edge of the clean energy industry.

Small business owners from greater New Britain are invited to attend a free workshop Tuesday to learn ways to reduce energy expenses.
Presented by Operation Fuel and Eversource, the workshop takes place from 6 to 7 p.m. at The General Haller Post, 112 Grove St. The material will be presented in both English and Polish.
The workshop will provide an overview of Operation Fuel’s “Project BEST,” which helps small businesses become more energy efficient while offering financial assistance and incentives for implementing energy-saving changes. The program is funded by the Energize Connecticut initiative.

The City of Middletown is working to help its residents reduce their energy consumption, save money on their utility bills, and support the Middletown Tree Planting Fund by encouraging participation in the Home Energy Solutions program.
On Saturday, October 12, 10-11:30 am, the City of Middletown and the Middletown Clean Energy Task Force will host a presentation at the Russell Library, 123 Broad Street.

Windsor's Iron Mountain, Inc. cut the ribbon on what it hopes is just the beginning of of a greener future, Wednesday: a 902 solar panel energy system.
Atop the roof of its home on Kennedy Road, the international information management company hosted several local dignitaries, including Mayor Don Trinks and CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Daniel Esty, during a ceremonial unveiling of the panel array, which, according to Iron Mountain, will generate power equal to that used to run 33 homes for a year.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has declared October 2013 as Energize Connecticut Month.
The declaration is designed to encourage businesses and residents to make smarter energy choices, such as signing up for an energy efficiency assessment through the state's Energize CT program. Many of the options for businesses include incentive payments for improvements.

The 144-year-old Connecticut Valley Hospital campus in Middletown will receive a $30 million renovation as the inaugural project in the state's new program to significantly reduce government energy consumption.
The Connecticut Lead by Example Energy Efficiency Performance Contracting program allows state and municipal agencies to partner with pre-approved contractors — at no upfront costs — on projects that will reduce environmental impact and cut electric and heating expenses.

A workshop is scheduled for Wednesday to inform residents about Solarize Connecticut, a program that offers discounts to residents who sign up to have solar panels installed at their homes.

The state has taken another step toward lessening its dependence on fossil fuels.
The project along with a wind farm in Maine is going to help the state comply with a federal mandate to have 20 percent of its electrical needs met with alternative energy by the year 2020.

Connecticut has signed long-term deals with a 20 megawatt solar farm in Lisbon and a 250 megawatt wind farm in Maine in order to meet the state's clean energy goals.

Starting October 7, Global Energy – The Musical will make a limited two-week return engagement at Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Connecticut. This original production made its first run in 2011 and is a compilation of insightful writing of children from the United States, the Kingdom of Jordan and Rwanda with the music of acclaimed singer songwriter Tina deVaron and the professional theatrics of Child’s Play Touring Theatre of Chicago. This limited return engagement of Global Energy – The Musical is one of the energy exhibits and programs sponsored by Energize Connecticut in partnership with Eversource and United Illuminating.

Westport residents can lower their home’s energy costs and help heat a neighbor’s home this winter though the “Stay Cool Westport” energy efficiency campaign.
The campaign, being headed by the Westport Green Task Force, encourages homeowners to complete a Home Energy Solutions assessment — a service that lowers energy bills by boosting a home’s efficiency. Fees for all assessments completed before Oct. 31 will be donated to the Westport Warm-Up Fund, a program that helps income eligible residents heat their homes during the winter.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is backing an effort to get a piece of legislation passed that would provide new federal funding for manufacturers looking to upgrade to more energy-efficient technology, as well as for improved efficiency standards for federal buildings and new construction.Blumenthal on Monday visited Legrand North America, a West Hartford manufacturer of energy-efficiency equipment to call for passage of the Energy Efficiency and Industrial Competitiveness Act. 

The town has joined an effort to boost residential solar energy.
Solarize Manchester promises to cut installation costs by leveraging group discounts. The effort is part of Solarize Connecticut, a program of the state Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority.

Projections from ISO New England map a slight growth in demand for electricity over the next decade, a soft trajectory caused by a still-slow economy and effective energy efficiency measures, the electric grid operator said Thursday.

Ed Boman, like most of us, won’t be around to see that the sea level has risen by three feet at the end of this century — as the world’s climate scientists have recently said it would, but Boman has done more than most people in attempting to prevent that from happening and in the process, the engineer is saving the Town of Fairfield a big chunk of money on its electric bill.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection today issued a draft decision that would nearly double funding for electric and natural gas efficiency programs.

One of the most underreported stories in the U.S. energy industry today is Connecticut’s ambitious electricity pilot project—one that could have a widespread ripple effect across the country. On July 24, state government officials announced plans for nine microgrid projects as part of a Microgrid Pilot Program aimed at ensuring electricity grid resilience and reliability during severe weather events.

The roof of ESPN’s North Campus is filled with a shimmering sea of blue solar panels installed this spring.

Berlin electric utility Eversource has opened a new electric vehicle information call center in Windsor to help customers understand the technology.

It’s no secret that one of the major burdens businesses in Connecticut face is the high cost of energy. It is after all New England where winters are cold, energy consumption is high — and so is the cost of fuel to produce electricity for power and heat.
Earlier this month, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy singed into law a new state energy policy that builds upon earlier efforts to lower Connecticut’s energy costs, thus making Connecticut more business-friendly. According to a recent report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, those efforts seem to be paying off.

Things are really heating up this week at Temple Beth El, with hundreds of solar panels being installed on the building's roof. The installation is part of the synagogue's three-phase effort to go solar and reduce operating costs while promoting environmental stewardship through the use of sustainable energy.

Connecticut was the only one of the six New England states to have its electricity rates drop in April and for the first four months of the year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority and Yale University will run a $1.8 million federal study to help lower solar costs, based on the Solarize Connecticut initiative.

Energy leaders, including Commissioner Dan Esty, recently gathered at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to celebrate the success of The Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge. The challenge was a three year community energy savings program that helped local residents save money, reduce energy use and give back to their local economy.

Connecticut officials want to more than double the number of electric vehicle charging stations this year, the state's Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced.

Connecticut took its first step Monday out into the wild world of contracting clean energy projects.
The state's energy department is seeking bids from clean energy project developers for long-term contracts as a way for Connecticut to lock in lower prices while growing the region's supply of clean energy.

The state's green bank on Friday closed on a $60 million deal that will finance leases for more than 2,000 rooftop solar systems for residential and commercial customers.
The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority used $9.5 million in state funds to attract more than $50 million from banks like U.S. Bancorp and a number of local and regional banks in Connecticut. The program will finance leases for about 14.1 megawatts of residential and commercial rooftop solar systems.

Energize Connecticut, the statewide consortium promoting energy efficiency, has awarded the town a $10,000 "Bright Ideas" grant through its Clean Energy Communities program. The town, one of 60 in the state participating in the program, is the first to receive the grant.

Renewable energy is growing fast around the world and will edge out natural gas as the second biggest source of electricity, after coal, by 2016, according to a five-year outlook published Wednesday by the International Energy Agency.

Solarize Mansfield-Windham is extended until July 31 to allow Windham and Mansfield counties residents to use new financing options available through the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority.

In the early days of the automobile, travel required careful planning. There were no convenient places to fill up your car—gasoline had to be obtained at “bulk depots” located outside of the cities. In 1905 the first gas station was born. Early adopters of the automobile had what we now call “range anxiety,” a fear of running out of fuel. By 1930, the number of gas stations increased to 100,000, AAA was offering emergency roadside assistance to stranded drivers, and range anxiety seemed a thing of the past. Now, with the move to electric vehicles, range anxiety is appearing once again.

Another large solar company is leasing rooftop solar systems in the state. 
Sunrun, a San Francisco-based firm, announced Thursday that it is leasing rooftop solar systems to Connecticut residents.
The lease model has grown in popularity in recent years, with customers given the option to pay little or no upfront cost for the solar system. In turn, customers pay a lease fee as well as small utility bills for what electricity the residence still pulls from the power grid.

Walgreens will install solar arrays at its Connecticut drugstores, part of the company's plan to solarize 200 stores in six states.
This latest expansion in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and California will bring the total number of solarized Walgreens to 350.

The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority has launched a $6 million pilot program looking for participants in developing plants that process food waste into electricity.

The Bushnell in Hartford will be the second commercial property in Connecticut to use the new C-PACE program to upgrade its energy systems at no upfront costs.
The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program allows business property owners to use low-cost financing to buy more energy efficient equipment and install renewable systems where the savings achieved by the upgrades exceeds the annual payments for the construction. The financing is made on the property, so if the land is ever sold, the costs remain with the new property owner, who would benefit from the new systems.

With the Connecticut General Assembly's passage of two more clean energy programs in June, the industry now has every available tool a state government can offer. 

A King Philip Middle School sixth grader was honored at a ceremony at the Capitol on Tuesday with an "eesmarts" award from Energize Connecticut. Sarah Lewis won first place for her grade level in the ninth annual contest, which requires students to answer prompts about energy efficiency and renewable energy through poems, essays, graphs or art, according to a release from Energize Connecticut.

Saint Mary Church in Newington is the only religious organization to be recognized, and one of only three non-profits, to receive a 2013 Gold Award from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for its leadership and commitment to reducing energy usage and air pollution. 

The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority is putting in a six-acre array of solar panels on a section of its Hartford landfill. The solar project coincides with the authority's plan to cap the remaining 35-acre section of the landfill.
The cap and one-megawatt solar array will cost the trash-to-energy authority about $11.6 million and will make the landfill the first in the state to develop its limited-use real estate into a renewable energy project.

New Castle Hotels & Resorts' Hilton Garden Inn, Shelton, won a Summer Savers Bronze Award from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for reducing their total energy usage by 5 to 10 percent in the summer months (May through September).

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is hosting an electric vehicle expo to entice businesses and residents to learn more about clean transportation.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed a law exempting commercial renewable energy installations from municipal property tax.

An installment of the Energy Efficiency Fund's Energize Connecticut initiative will sponsor four Connecticut residents to become more energy efficient, according to a report.
The Energy SuperStars Challenge, with partners Eversource and United Illuminating, will select four residents in single-story or multi-level homes to participate in the program.

The Town of Fairfield received Highest Honors for overall energy efficiency at the first annual Power of Change Awards, presented at the State Capitol. Fairfield was recognized by state and energy leaders, including Governor Dannel P. Malloy; Daniel C. Esty, Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP); Stewart Hudson, President of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation; Sabina Shelby, Managing Trustee of the Hampshire Foundation; Mally Cox-Chapman, Philanthropy Advisor of the Common Sense Fund, and state legislative leaders and energy stakeholders.

The town and school district received top honors at Tuesday's Power of Change municipal awards ceremony for their energy-saving efforts.
The town earned "Top Town Hall" and the schools took first in the Innovation category in the first year of the awards, according to a news release.

The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority has one-time grants up to $10,000 for business agencies in municipalities participating in the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program.
With C-PACE, businesses receive low-cost financing to install renewable energy or make energy efficiency improvements. The loan payments are made on a business's municipal property tax bill, and the payments always are less than the energy savings on the project.

Plymouth Center Elementary School is among the schools to be honored for their energy efficiency efforts at the new Power of Change awards.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Daniel Esty, commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, joined officials from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, the Hampshire Foundation, and the Common Sense Fund, at the state capitol recently to celebrate the award winners.

State lawmakers are proposing to give businesses that install renewable sources of power a break from local property taxes.
Lawmakers have heard complaints from owners of commercial and industrial properties that the additional property taxes on these renewable energy systems are negating their energy savings.
The legislature has sent a bill to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that would provide a property tax exemption for such renewable energy sources. The administration supported the bill earlier in the session.

Lawmakers on Monday sent for the governor's signature legislation exempting renewable energy installations at businesses from municipal property taxes.
The House's 119-14 vote came after the Senate approved the measure 21-12 on April 24.

The Energy Systems Sales & Training facility in Waterbury will install a 45-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system, as part of plan to eventually manufacture Taiwanese solar in Connecticut.

Connecticut electric utilities Eversource and United Illuminating have scheduled their bidders' conference for 9 a.m. May 10 to discuss the next round of funding under the state's $1 billion renewable energy credit program. The Zero-emissions and Low-emissions Renewable Energy Credit, or ZREC/LREC, program provides 15-year contracts for developers to install facilities featuring technologies such as solar and fuel cells throughout the state. 

Windsor-based Walgreens Distribution Center was recently recognized by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for its commitment to reducing its energy consumption and air pollution during summer 2012. The distribution center was one of eleven organizations statewide to receive a "Summer Saver" award.

St. Mary Parish in Newington was recently recognized by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for its commitment to reducing its energy consumption and air pollution during summer 2012. The parish was one of eleven organizations statewide to receive a "Summer Saver" award.

The West Hartford WOW! Work Out World was recently recognized by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for reducing energy consumption during the summer months. WOW! was one of three recipients of the Summer Saver Bronze Award, which is "given to organizations or businesses that reduce electricity consumption and demand by five to ten percent during the summer months," according to a news release from the Energize Connecticut initiative.

April 30, 2013 – The Connecticut Green Bank is pleased to announce that Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union has partnered with CEFIA on the Smart-E Loan product. Smart-E loans provide homeowners an affordable way to finance a wide range of clean energy technology installations by local energy contractors – including renewable energy, energy efficiency and fuel conversions – many of which offer households immediate net savings.  Nutmeg State FCU is a community-focused credit union with branches in Hartford County, a footprint in Hartford and Middlesex Counties, and membership that extends throughout Central Connecticut.

A bipartisan group of senators will introduce legislation this week that would extend a project-financing structure to renewable energy. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) will unveil the Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act during a Wednesday news conference, said Ian Koski, a spokesman for Coons. It would allow investors in renewable energy projects to take advantage of master limited partnerships, which currently are available only to oil and gas endeavors.

Some New England lawmakers hope aid to poor is boosted.
Washington - President Obama's latest request for funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program - LIHEAP - is again meeting with the cold shoulder from legislators representing the cold weather region of New England.

Berlin is considering joining about 20 other towns and school districts to buy natural gas in quantity to save money. The proposal, discussed by the town council on Tuesday night, is similar to an existing cooperative of about 90 municipalities that use their combined purchasing power to buy low cost electricity, town engineer Art Simonian said. Berlin joined the electrcity buying plan in 2011.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has honored Connecticut's governments, its electric utilities, and a Norwalk hospitality firm for their commitment to energy efficiency. The EPA's Energy Star Partner of the Year awards honor organizations that seek to reduce environmental impact by increasing their efficiency. The Northeast Energy Efficiency Initiative – which includes the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund and electric utilities Eversource and United Illuminating – won its 14th Partner of the Year award in 13 years for sustained excellence in promoting energy efficiency. Eversource and UI fund CEEF to perform energy upgrades and businesses and homes.

Berlin is considering joining about 20 other towns and school districts to buy natural gas in quantity to save money. The proposal, discussed by the town council on Tuesday night, is similar to an existing cooperative of about 90 municipalities that use their combined purchasing power to buy low cost electricity, town engineer Art Simonian said. Berlin joined the electrcity buying plan in 2011.

The town is considering a solar energy project for two municipal buildings that officials say would significantly lower electric bills. But the officials can't say exactly how much the savings would be, explaining that it would reveal closely guarded market information. "What I can say is that these are very significant savings, and I underline the word 'very,'" Town Manager Mike Maniscalco said Wednesday. Maniscalco said solar arrays would be placed on a hillside to generate power for the municipal sewage treatment plant on Route 66, while a second group of arrays would be installed on the roof of Memorial School on Smith Street.

Connecticut on Monday proposed entering into a regional clean energy partnership with Massachusetts, Vermont, and other neighboring states to use their collective purchasing power to obtain renewable energy at competitive prices. "We have waited too long for renewables to come to us," said State Sen. Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), co-chair of the General Assembly's Energy & Technology Committee. "We want this to be competitive, and we want prices to be reasonable." By partnering, the states hope to bargain down prices on the power from renewable installations and create enough critical mass where energy developers can look at pursuing larger renewable projects.

When the electric bill comes, we pay it. Faithfully. We like the amenities it provides -- refrigerators, computers, televisions, a lamp shining in the window when we get home at night. But have you ever wondered why people in Connecticut pay some of the highest electric bills in the country? Do you understand where your power comes from? What about all the different charges and fees on your bill? Is there anything you can do to reduce the tab?

Microgrid Projects Move To Final Funding Round In State PrograMore than two dozen applications for the state's microgrid program moved to a final round for design and engineering, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Wednesday. The 27 applicants chosen by DEEP proposed electricity systems that would establish some form of local power generation with the ability to operate independently from the region's power grid. The capability has been increasingly attractive following recent widespread power outages caused by hurricanes and snow storms. The projects that were chosen for this next step were among 36 originally submitted and analyzed for feasibility by technical expects and the state's two major electric utilities.

The lingering effects of the Great Recession continue to create challenges for Connecticut's businesses. Rising costs of doing business, increased regulations and global competition make it more important than ever for companies to operate efficiently and find cost savings that will enhance their bottom line. Luckily, in Connecticut there are programs available to help reduce a major line item in many businesses' budgets: energy costs.

The governor made public Tuesday the final version of his energy plan after months of public comment and debate over its hallmark feature: increased availability of natural gas. From draft to final version, the broad strokes of the "Comprehensive Energy Strategy" remain intact, according to an executive summary of the plan viewed by The Courant on Monday. Additions to the plan include a $500 tax credit to help residents with the switch to natural gas, a call to expand natural gas pipeline capacity, a further look at "large-scale hydropower," and a push to develop a cyber security strategy for Connecticut's electric grid.
“The Comprehensive Energy Strategy sets Connecticut apart by bringing down energy costs for both residents and businesses,” Malloy said in a written statement announcing the plan. “Focusing on innovative approaches to energy efficiency—cost effective renewable power, smarter building management, and expanded use of low-cost natural gas, we are reducing consumer costs, making the state more competitive, and creating good jobs with good benefits.”

Hartford conglomerate United Technologies Corp. on Tuesday closed on the sale of its South Windsor fuel cell manufacturer to Oregon's ClearEdge Power. The financial terms of UTC Power's sale were not disclosed. The sale was first announced on Dec. 22. UTC had its fuel cell subsidiary on the market since the second quarter, as part of its attempt to finance the $16.5 billion acquisition of North Carolina aerospace manufacturer Goodrich Corp. and reorganize to focus more on aerospace and building systems. ClearEdge decided to purchase UTC Power to expand its presence in the fuel cell market, particularly on the East Coast.

Energize Connecticut, in partnership with Eversource and United Illuminating, is conducting the ninth annual eesmarts contest for students in all grades. The eesmarts program is a K-12 energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy education initiative that annually invites Connecticut students to showcase their "energy smarts" about saving energy, efficient and renewable energy technologies, and sustainability through various media forms. 

It's called commercial and industrial property assessed clean energy -- a mouthful of jargon that doesn't tell the uninitiated much, even with its acronym C-PACE. It's actually a reasonably innovative way to finance energy efficiency and clean energy systems and upgrades with low interest loans that are paid back through assessments added to property tax bills. If the property is sold, the assessment stays with it -- just like a property tax.
In Connecticut's case PACE can be used for projects in commercial, industrial and multifamily properties. It's officially operational as of a few days ago with a website and 11 communities signed on and another couple of dozen getting close, said David Goldberg of the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, which was designated by law to develop the program.

On October 25, 2012, the world watched as Hurricane Sandy swept up the east coast. Over these past few years, we have seen storm after storm leave our homes battered, our possessions ruined, and our towns and cities without power for weeks on end. Most of us in the renewable energy world take it for granted that man-made climate change contributes to the increased intensity of these major weather events, and that renewable energy will reduce the already adverse effects of climate change. But the recent barrage of natural disasters has also revealed something else: the utility company model – based on the centralized delivery of a commodity product – leaves something to be desired, and solar power can help there, too.
The fact is that energy is a service, no matter how it’s provided (whether through gas-fired generation, nuclear plants, or one’s own roof). Rather than trying to sell capital improvements to risk-averse and cash-strapped customers, the clean energy industry needs to be in the business of offering a cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy service.

Connecticut's clean-energy promoter is trying again to solicit applicants capable of building and running a pilot facility in which microbes convert food waste into usable energy. The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) in Rocky Hill announced Wednesday a modified request for proposals for a three-year, $6 million pilot program.

The Westport Daily Voice reports that home owners now have until January 14, 2013, to sign up for the Solarize Connecticut. The pilot program is being offered in four Connecticut towns and encourages residents to install solar panels on their homes by making them more affordable. The program provides group pricing discounts on the sale or lease of solar energy installations: The more homeowners in town that participate in the program, the greater the discount.

The Connecticut Post reports that a polluted Brownfield on Railroad Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut, may soon be the site of a $65 million project representing the largest single source of alternative energy in the nation. The Bridgeport City Council recently approved a plan that would allow FuelCell Energy Inc., of Danbury, to pay personal property and real estate taxes totaling $275,000 annually for 17 years for the project. With approval, FuelCell can begin the process of obtaining loans from the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, one of Energize Connecticut's partners.

The East Haven Patch reports that residents can get advice on the “Do’s and Don’ts” of winter home weatherization through the Home Energy Solutions program. Through the program, certified contractors evaluate your entire home including heating and air conditioning systems, lighting, windows, duct work and appliances to help you understand how your home uses energy.

West Hartford News reports that a ribbon cutting ceremony will celebrate the installation of a 10.8 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system at Wolcott Elementary School in West Hartford. The solar system was earned through the Clean Energy Communities program, an Energize Connecticut initiative designed to help homes and businesses save money and use clean energy. Through the Clean Energy Communities program, West Hartford has earned a total of 17 kW of solar PV.

The Hartford Courant reports that Modern Woodcrafts, a wood paneling manufacturer worked with Energize Connecticut and its partners to designate about $134,000 in efficiency investments that ended up knocking out about a third of the company's energy use. Contractors installed new air compressors, thermostats, curtains to block air near loading docks, compact fluorescent bulbs, and motion-sensor-controlled lights in the warehouse. A variable-speed exhaust system was added to the finishing room and exit signs were changed to LED models. The upgrades were financed through a $52,000 incentive and a zero percent loan that was put on the company's utility bill. The loan payments and energy cost savings balanced out, so in the company's 29-month repayment period, there are still net savings. Annually, after the loan is repaid, Modern Woodworks will save about $35,000 in electric costs a year.

The New Haven Register reports that Energize Connecticut unveiled a newly-designed ENERGY STAR® LED display at the 2012 Fantasy of Lights. The display is one of twenty-one displays that have gone green with LED light bulbs. These bulbs save energy, money and last a long time. They also enable the Fantasy of Lights to be brighter and more colorful.

The Hartford Business Journal reports that Energize Connecticut will start providing construction courses through the Connecticut Green Building Council beginning December 4, 2012. The courses will provide green professional building skills training to professionals such as builders, renovators, and building maintenance professionals, helping them achieve proper accreditation for sustainability in construction.

Shore Publishing reports that the town of Madison, Connecticut, and its Energy & Efficiency Committee partnered with Energize Connecticut  to offer local homeowners and renters the opportunity to reduce their energy costs and at the same time provide a donation to the Madison Foundation's Neighbor to Neighbor Fund.

Environmental Headlines reports that Bridgeport Hospital, one of the largest employers in the City of Bridgeport, worked with Energize Connecticut's partners to improve its equipment, conserve energy and save money. The Hospital participated in the Energy Opportunities and Operations & Maintenance programs to implement energy efficiency upgrades including new lighting sensors, an energy management system, and variable speed drives. The hospital is projected to save $357,108, or 2.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy annually, with a lifetime energy savings of $5,145,620, or 32.1 million kWh.

The Hartford Courant reports that at $75 an Home Energy Solutions audit is the best deal in Connecticut homeownership.  Aside from a full-house energy assessment, the $75 covers some quick fixes: Technicians seal ductwork leaks, install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators and energy-efficient compact florescent bulbs throughout the house.

The Register Citizen reports that Connecticut officials and Energize Connecticut unveiled the state’s second E-House  at Oliver Wolcott Technical High School. The E-House was drafted, constructed and assembled by Oliver Wolcott and Windham Technical high school students and faculty and represents a laboratory for learning green construction while promoting clean energy and energy efficiency curricula.

The New Britain Herald reports that New Britain Mayor Tim O'Brien had an Home Energy Solutions assessment conducted on his circa-1830 home and is hoping other residents will have their homes assessed. The assessment’s cost is $75, and homeowners can receive up to $700 of improvements in the few hours it takes to do the assessment. Possible improvements include; identifying and sealing air leaks from windows, doors, attics and ductwork; installing low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and hot water pipe insulation; and replacing incandescent bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs.

The Hartford Business Journal reports that the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority Trash Museum in Hartford worked with the Energize Connecticut to open a new Energy-Recycling Connection exhibit. The exhibit will teach visitors about energy and materials conservation.

The Hartford Business Journal reports that the former 32,000-square-foot Marlow's department store building in Manchester, Connecticut, has been renovated with various energy savings measures, such as ENERGY STAR® appliances and efficient lighting, with help from Energize Connecticut. The green improvements will be for twelve apartments. The building will also serve as a green laboratory for area students from Eastern Connecticut State University, Manchester Community College, and regional vocational schools.

Westfair Communications Online reports that the Chelsea Piers rink in Stamford, Connecticut, installed energy-efficient lighting and built a high-efficiency ammonia ice rink with help from Energize Connecticut. Compared with a traditional ice rink, the ammonia rink will save the sports facility more than $63,000 a year on its energy bill, as well as 7,562 tons of coal, 32 million pounds carbon dioxide, 9,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide and 18,000 pounds of sulfur oxide.

The Hartford Courant reports that as part of the Energize Connecticut initiative, the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund and the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority have joined forces to launch a new and improved version of the nationally recognized Clean Energy Communities program. The program incentivizes Connecticut municipalities to improve energy efficiency and promote the use of renewable energy. With the expansion of the program, communities across the state are being asked to renew their pledges to support renewable energy and energy efficiency. The addition of the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund as a program administrator provides support and incentives for municipal energy reduction.