REAP is a popular and oversubscribed program that has funded more than 7,600 farm energy projects since 2003, directly benefiting farmers in all agricultural sectors and every state by making renewable energy and energy efficiency projects more affordable.  Because the program provides grants to cover 25% of the cost, the $36.5 million dollars cut from REAP jeopardizes at least $146 million of overall private and public investment – and jobs — in rural America.

Read more about rural clean energy.

Speakers included:

• Bruce Knight, Dairy Advisor for Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC and former Chief of Natural Resources Conservation Service at the USDA under President Bush
• Bennie Hutchins, Principal, Ag Energy Resources, Mississippi
• Bill Midcap, Farmer and Rural Development Specialist, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Colorado
• Andy Olsen, ELPC Senior Policy Advocate

REAP incentivizes a broad range of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies for all agricultural sectors across the country.  The program has helped thousands of rural producers and businesses slash energy costs and earn new income with energy efficiency and renewable energy.  Dairy and poultry producers, rural electric cooperatives, and other rural producers and small businesses throughout the country are successfully using REAP. The Energy Title is helping to accelerate advanced biofuels and bioproducts production, chiefly through the Biorefinery Assistance Program and the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP).

To learn more, visit ELPC’s dedicated website, FarmEnergy.org.

You can also listen to today’s briefing on BarnMedia.

ELPC and the Pew Charitable Trusts welcomed Jennifer Granholm, former Michigan Governor and Senior Advisor to Pew’s Clean Energy Program, for a conversation in our office on Wed., June 29. Gov. Granholm discussed the need for national clean energy policies that create jobs, stimulate innovation, spur investment and enhance America’s competitiveness in the global clean energy race. Read more about ELPC’s efforts to promote wind power, solar power, and other renewable energy solutions.

Read the editorial published in Crain’s Chicago Business.

ELPC Senior Attorney Rob Kelter
speaks at a press conference in Peoria, Ill.

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) are marking the first day of summer by urging Illinois residents to take advantage of $170 million in new rebates and discounts on energy-efficient appliances that can help ease the pain of high summer electric bills. New energy efficiency programs in Illinois began this June, just in time to lower your high summer energy bills and help protect the environment.

“Energy efficiency means making your home more comfortable while lowering your bills,” said Rob Kelter, Senior Attorney for the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “When we save energy, we cut down on air pollution by burning less coal and natural gas.”

“We’ve known for a long time that making your home more energy efficient is not only good for the planet, but it’s great for your pocketbook,” said CUB Energy Attorney and Outreach Advocate Celia Christiansen. “These energy-saving programs can put an extra $100 or more in your pocket. It’s a win-win on savings and the environment and that’s why CUB and ELPC are teaming up to promote the programs.”

ELPC and CUB outlined four easy ways energy-efficiency programs can save Ameren customers $100 or more this year.

• Replace Your Light Bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs. Don’t wait until your old bulbs burn out to start saving money. There are at least 15 light bulbs in most homes. Each CFL bulb can save about $7 a year, or $40 over the life of the bulb. Now customers can find CFLs for deep discounts, 35-66 percent, online or at stores. So it’s easy for everyone to make the switch and start saving money.
• Get an AC Makeover. Replacing your old central air conditioning unit can save you up to $200 a year—utility programs provide rebates up to $600 for efficient central air conditioners and $35 for window air conditioners.
• Recycle That Extra Fridge. Refrigerators use more energy than any other appliance except air conditioners. If you have an extra fridge or freezer running in your home, it’s costing you around $100 per year. Instead of spending $100 to run an extra fridge, Illinois utility companies will pay you $25-50 to pick up and recycle your old fridge.
• Buy a Programmable Thermostat. ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostats are more accurate than non-digital thermostats and can help you maintain consistent comfort levels and save the average home $100 per year on electricity costs. Utility programs offer rebates on programmable thermostats

These programs are part of Illinois’ new efficiency standards, designed to reduce energy consumption in Illinois 25 percent by 2025. For details on these and other incentives, go to www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org, click on “Live Wire”

ELPC, CUB and other consumer advocates were instrumental in creating and designing these programs, which are projected to save Illinois consumers more than $200 million each year in lower energy bills. The incentives range from a $10 rebate on a smart power strip to a $300 rebate on a heat pump water heater.

“Americans do believe that environmental progress can be achieved together with job creation and economic growth. President Obama’s address identified Midwestern clean energy and high-speed rail development projects where this is already happening.

Hundreds of old-line Rust Belt manufacturers are retooling to produce equipment for the growing clean energy economy, as shown by the Environmental Law & Policy Center’s recent reports.  Federal investments in renewable energy are spurring job growth and revitalizing the Midwest manufacturing sector.  The Michigan solar company highlighted in the President’s speech is a good example.  After decades of decline, America’s clean energy industry is creating new manufacturing jobs and making us more globally competitive.

We can’t build a 21st century economy with a 19th century transportation infrastructure. In Illinois and Michigan, federal investments in high-speed rail are creating construction and supply chain jobs today that will improve and expand transportation options tomorrow.  Modern, fast, comfortable and convenient rail development will improve mobility, reduce pollution, create new jobs and spur economic growth.

The President’s clean energy and high-speed rail proposals are investments in America’s future.  Here, in the Midwest Heartland, let’s seize these opportunities to strengthen our economy, create jobs and improve our environment in ways that make good sense and make our nation more competitive.”

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“This agreement puts money back into ComEd customers’ wallets and helps to clean up skies over Illinois,” said Rebecca Stanfield, Senior Energy Advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council.  “Energy efficiency is the least expensive and cleanest way for ComEd to meet its customers’ energy needs, and that makes it the cornerstone of a clean energy future. The savings can go back into the local economy, rather than being wasted on buying more power than necessary from polluting power plants.”

A state law passed in 2007 requires ComEd and other utilities to submit energy savings plans to the Illinois Commerce Commission. The Environmental Law & Policy Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, Citizens Utility Board, the Illinois Attorney General and the City of Chicago worked with ComEd to improve their initial plan, identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and thereby lower customers’ bills and reduce pollution.

“Environmental and consumer advocates worked with ComEd and found ways to save a significantly greater amount of energy than proposed in ComEd’s original plan,” said Rob Kelter, Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “This is truly a win-win situation where customers benefit from lower bills and we get cleaner air in the Chicago region.”

Under the Illinois law, utilities began with a modest 0.2% of their annual sales being displaced with energy efficiency savings.  This standard increases to 1% of sales in 2012, and will continue to increase until it reaches 2% of sales in 2015.  ComEd’s new three-year plan to meet these goals will need to be approved by the ICC by the end of 2010.

Saving electricity through efficiency is much cheaper than generating additional power and avoids pollution from power plants.  Every dollar spent on efficiency saves between two and three dollars that would have been spent on power generation.

Nineteen states have adopted similar energy efficiency portfolio standards, including several Midwestern states (Ohio, Michigan and Indiana) that followed the lead of Illinois.

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The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. Learn more at www.ELPC.org.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world’s natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org.