Sunday, June 23, 2013

Minnesota - dakota electric

Dakota Electric Association - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

Last DSIRE Review: 07/23/2012

Program Overview:

State:	Minnesota
Incentive Type:	Utility Rebate Program
Eligible Efficiency Technologies:	Refrigerators, Water Heaters, Lighting, Heat pumps, Central Air conditioners, ETS Heating, LED Lighting, Heat Pump Water Heaters
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Geothermal Heat Pumps
Applicable Sectors:	Residential
Amount:	CFL's: $1/bulb LED's: $3/bulb AC/Heat Pump Tune-Up: $25 Central AC/Heat Pump: $30 - $330 depending on SEER rating Air-Source Heat Pump: $330 for off peak control Ductless Air-Source Heat Pump: $300 Furnace Motor: $100 Geothermal Heat Pump: $400/ton Storage Electric Heating: $25 per kW Electric/Heat Pump Water Heater: $100 - $200 Refrigerator: $75 Freezer: $75
Equipment Requirements:	Air conditioner/Heat Pumps: SEER of 13 or greater, Energy Star certified
Installation Requirements:	Air conditioners and heat pumps must be installed by pre-approved list of certified contractors. Storage Electric Heating: must be installed on Dakota Electric storage off-peak program
Web Site:	https://www.dakotaelectric.com/residential/programs/rebates

Summary:

Dakota Electric Association provides incentives for residential customers to install energy efficient equipment in the home. Rebates are available for a variety of products including:

Heat pumps (air-source and geothermal)
Air conditioners (central and room unit)
System tune-ups
Electric heating
ECM furnace motor
Refrigerators and Freezers
Lighting

Limited rebate funds are available, and rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Some incentives vary by the efficiency of the purchased equipment. Detailed program requirements and applications may be found on the web site listed above.

Contact:

Energy Experts
Dakota Electric Service
4300 220th Street West
Farmington, MN 55024
Phone: (651) 463-6243
Phone 2: (800) 874-3409
E-Mail: energyservices@dakotaelelctric.com
Web Site: http://www.dakotaelectric.com/

http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=MN70F

Minnesota - Home Energy Audit

Home Energy Audit

Help Minnesota customers understand and optimize their home energy efficiency

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Overview

You can receive an in-home audit at about 70% less than market value through the Home Energy Audit program.

An in-home energy audit is your road map to increasing your home’s efficiency. It shows you ways to boost your home’s comfort, lower your energy bills and even make the planet a little cleaner.

To request your Home Energy Audit, go to xcelenergy.com/Forms/Home_Energy_Audit.

http://www.xcelenergy.com/Save_Money_&_Energy/For_Your_Home/Energy_Audits/Home_Energy_Audit_-_MN

Minnesota - Whole-House Approach to Energy Efficiency

Whole-House Approach to Energy Efficiency

If you wish to solve comfort problems or reduce your energy bills, Minnesota Energy Resources can help. An energy auditor will make an in-home visit and provide energy efficiency suggestions to improve the comfort, durability, safety and affordability of your home. The energy auditor will:

Analyze your home through a comprehensive "House as a System" energy efficiency audit
Answer your specific questions about energy use in your home
Review your natural gas bill to understand how much energy your home uses
Provide recommendations and cost saving analysis, prioritized to show you where you'll get the most savings for your investment

Request an audit online or by telephone at 800-376-0517.

Minnesota Energy Resources offers two levels of audits:

Standard Audit

The Standard Audit will:
- Analyze your energy use
- Give you information on energy-saving measures with potential costs and estimated savings
- Provide a blower door diagnostic test
- Perform a furnace efficiency and combustion safety test
- Provide a natural draft and worst-case depressurization test if the home has atmospherically-vented appliances
Minnesota Energy Resources will pick up most of the cost of the audit; however, a customer co-pay of $50 will be added to your natural gas bill. Low income customers may participate in this program at no cost.
Performance Audit

In addition to all of the services provided in the Standard Audit, the Performance Audit will also include:
- An infrared camera inspection to further pinpoint the location of heat loss and air leaks, and
- A report with infrared camera pictures will be emailed to you
Minnesota Energy Resources will pay for the majority of the cost of the performance audit. However, a co-pay of $125 will be added to your natural gas bill.

What specifically does each audit provide?

Description	Standard $50 Co-pay	Performance $125 Co-pay
Discuss customer concerns and initial questions in an interview
Review annual gas usage regarding heating, domestic hot water (DHW) and other uses of natural gas in your home
Measure DHW temperature and adjust as necessary
Check furnace filter and provide a reminder card with your filter size on it
Assess heating system, water heater, and other gas appliance replacement and clean-n-tune options and needs
Inspect the thermal envelope of your home, diagnose and provide recommendations for improvements to attics, sidewalls, windows/doors, etc.
Deliver a written report including all appropriate documentation
Provide fact sheets, rebate applications, financing options, 800#s & websites, tax credit information, etc.
Perform a blower door diagnostics test to identify air leaks
Perform a combustion safety (carbon monoxide) and furnace efficiency test
Perform a natural draft and worst case depressurization test (measure how furnace operation is affected by exhaust fans, clothes dryer, etc.) in homes with atmospherically vented appliances
Perform an infrared scan to identify areas of heat loss through walls and attics. This test is weather dependent and is only available in the winter months.
Provide an infrared diagnostic report with pictures and recommendations emailed to you

Which audit is best for you?

For some homes, our Standard Audit is sufficient. For others, there can be significant benefit in having a Performance Audit completed. If you have already had a Standard Audit and are still having energy efficiency or comfort issues in your home, a Performance Audit could be what you need. Or, if you notice two or more of the following in or around your home, our Performance Audit may be for you.

Ice dams on the roof
Moisture or frost in the attic
Mold or moisture spots on interior walls
Condensation on your windows
Stains around ceiling exhaust fan(s)
Cold spots in areas of the house
Inadequate or older insulation

Rebates & Programs

Heating System Rebates
Heating System Tune-Up Rebate
Water Heating Rebates
Air Sealing & Insulation Rebates
Appliance Rebates
FREE Water Conservation Kit
In-Home Energy-Saving Audits
Low Income Programs
Home Energy Excellence Program (for home buyers)
Neighborhood Energy Challenge

Quick Links

https://www.google.com/search?Minnesota+residential+energy+audit

Ohio - Home Energy House Call

Home Energy House Call

What is Home Energy House Call?

Home Energy House Call is a free in-home energy assessment designed to help you learn how your home uses energy and how you can save on your monthly bills. The program provides personalized information unique to your home and energy practices. This service is available to Duke Energy customers that meet the qualifications below.

Complete the request form or call 1-877-388-7676 to sign up.

How do I qualify?

You qualify for a free Home Energy House Call if you:

Are a Duke Energy customer
Own your single-family home and have lived there for at least four months
Mobile homes – due to such specific building specifications there is little room for improvement, therefore do not qualify.
Rental properties - Duke Energy prefers to work directly with home owners to avoid seeking the approval from the property owner who may not be interested in having any of the recommended energy efficient items installed at their apartment/house. Additionally, since many customers may only reside in rental property on a temporary basis it’s difficult to obtain your personalized electric usage needed to validate the cost savings calculated in the personalized energy report you receive following the on-site audit.

How it Works

One homeowner must be present at the time of the audit. A trained energy specialist will visit your home, at your convenience, to conduct a thorough in-home analysis. The energy specialist will:

Analyze your total home energy usage
Check your home for air leaks
Examine your insulation levels
Review your appliances and heating/cooling system

From the information collected, a custom-tailored report detailing steps you can take to increase efficiency and reduce your energy bill is prepared and given to you before your energy specialist leaves your home.

As part of our commitment to saving you money on your energy bill, we will also provide you with a free Energy Efficiency Starter Kit that includes Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. The energy specialist can install the items at the time of your Home Energy House Call, so you can begin saving your energy dollars right away.

Begin saving on your energy bill today!
To schedule your appointment for a free energy analysis, complete the request form or call 1-877-388-7676 to find out when auditors will be in your area.

The Home Energy House Call is a free program available to the customers of Duke Energy for a limited time on a first come, first served basis. Duke Energy may terminate the program at any time without notice.

http://www.duke-energy.com/ohio/savings/home-energy-house-call.asp

Ohio - AES

AES to bring advanced energy storage systems to Ohio

June 18, 2013

By PennEnergy Editorial Staff

Source: AES

AES Corp. (NYSE: AES) has announced it plans to bring an additional 40 megawatts (MW) of advancedenergy storage resources to PJM Interconnection, which controls the power grid for 60 million people in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States. To be located at Dayton Power and Light’s (DP&L) natural gas-and-oil-fired Tait generating station, just south of Dayton, Ohio, the AES battery array will provide frequency regulation service to the PJM market and bring new energy technology to Ohio that is safe, reliable, does not bear direct emissions and does not require water. This facility is the first of its kind in the state.

This announcement comes on the heels of AES’ recent 400,000 megawatt-hours (MW-h) service milestone within PJM at its Laurel Mountain facility. When the Tait storage array comes online, which is expected to occur in September 2013, it will bring the company’s storage resources in PJM to more than 100 MW, all operating on AES’ patented control system, sOS™. This will be the third project within PJM to run on the software and the fifth overall. The PJM-specific module of sOS™ employs AES market expertise and PJM-specific operating experience to most efficiently control the array within the market’s unique dispatch model. This extensible AES sOS™ platform has been proven in multiple commercial settings and with multiple underlying battery technologies.

“Having served within PJM for many years, we are pleased to expand AES’ standing in the market with energy storage assets across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and now Ohio,” said Phil Herrington, President and CEO, DP&L. “We look forward to working with the city of Moraine on this project as part of the expertise that AES is bringing to the community and continuing to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable energy solutions that utilize energy storage to better serve PJM and other key markets.”

For Ohio, the Tait project brings a multi-million dollar investment in a cutting-edge technology that can displace power generation from inefficient or retiring plants, reduce overall system emissions, and create construction jobs and tax revenue in the Dayton region.

With this storage array in particular, AES is leveraging the mobility and scalability inherent in battery-based grid resources to quickly deploy resources that rapidly meet the needs of any given market. The 40 MW storage resource will consist of 24 MW from AES inventory with the remaining 16 MW coming from an existing AES facility, which the company is relocating to Ohio.

“We’ve designed our business model in a way that allows us to quickly evaluate and respond to changing market needs,” said Chris Shelton, President, AES Energy Storage. “We can make decisions on where we locate battery storage to optimize service across markets. Physically moving an asset to where it’s needed most hasn’t been possible with traditional power generation and load resources, so it’s exciting to be able to do this with energy storage assets.”