New Energy Future News

CHICAGO – Environment Illinois, a non-profit Chicago-based environmental advocacy group, applauded new residential energy efficiency programs released by Illinois electric utility ComEd on Tuesday.    

“Moving toward a new energy future requires getting more out of the energy we already create,” said Brian Granahan, an attorney with Environment Illinois.  “These programs allow Illinois families and businesses to not only save energy and reduce pollution through increased efficiency, but also receive much-needed savings on energy bills.” 

Under legislation supported by Environment Illinois in 2007, Illinois law requires ComEd to make significant annual investments in energy efficiency programs -- $28.7 million for 2008, and rising to $92.2 million for 2010. 

ComEd’s residential programs include significant discounts on compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), which use significantly less energy than incandescent bulbs, and financial incentives for recycling old appliances.  Its commercial and industrial programs, released June 10, offer energy-saving lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, and customized measures.  Ameren, serving central and southern Illinois electric customers, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will also offer comprehensive energy efficiency programs under this legislation. 

To help promote both these specific programs and greater energy efficiency statewide, Environment Illinois also released its Energy Efficiency Headquarters website, located at www.environmentillinois.org/eehq.  

“We hope that our Energy Efficiency Headquarters can serve as a one-stop web resource for everything you want to know about energy efficiency – how to take advantage of the Illinois utility programs, what to do with old CFLs, tips for saving energy around the home, and much more,” said Granahan.    

A recent study found that it would cost $42.1 billion to eliminate the demand for one quad of energy through improved energy efficiency – 35% of the cost to gain the same amount of energy through new coal plants, and under 20% of the cost to gain the same amount of energy through new nuclear generation.    

“Energy efficiency remains the most cost-effective solution for addressing our immediate energy needs,” said Granahan.  “We must realize that our demands can be best addressed by making better use of what we already generate – both through comprehensive statewide efficiency programs and by taking energy-saving steps at home.” 

The Environment Illinois Energy Efficiency Headquarters is located at www.environmentillinois.org/eehq