In October 2008, Act 129 was passed to curtail energy demand, create jobs and reduce pollution in Pennsylvania. The Act required Pennsylvania electric utilities to reduce their electricity load by 1 percent by May 31, 2011 and by 3 percent by May 31, 2012. Utilities are also required to reduce their peak electricity demand by 4.5 percent by providing their customers with energy-efficiency and conservation programs.

PennFuture’s study, conducted by Optimal Energy, analyzed the Act’s results through May 31, 2011. This study concluded that Pennsylvania’s electricity load was reduced by 2,073 gigawatt hours (GWh), which equals over $278 million in annual savings for electric customers that participated in Act 129 programs.

The first year of Act 129 also created an estimated 4,000 job years (job years are measured as one full-time job for one year) and eliminated approximately 23 million tons of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the installed energy efficiency measures. The Act’s first year in energy savings is also equivalent to taking four million cars off of the road for one year.

If the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission decides that Act 129 has been successful, they have until November 30, 2013 to extend the program and set new savings goals for Pennsylvania electric utilities. According to the study by Optimal, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to reduce its energy by 31,500 GWh by continuing the energy efficiency Act 129.

Aelux has participated in the completion of several energy efficient lighting retrofit projects at Pennsylvania businesses served by participating Act 129 utility companies such as Duquesne, Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, PECO, PPL and West Penn. Pennsylvania utility rebates are still available for lighting retrofit energy efficiency projects. To find out how Act 129 can benefit your company and reduce electricity costs with a lighting retrofit, fill out our contact form and an Aelux team member will respond as soon as possible.

To view the complete press release regarding the Penn Future study, click here.

Have you made a difference personally in helping your community and/or business on making the world a more efficient place to live?  We’re four months away from the year 2011, make your goals today!  Are you working for a company that could be more “green / more efficient”? If you are not sure, researching and speaking out are the first steps.

For information on how companies, such as Aelux, LLC can help you, please visit www.aelux.com or call toll free to speak with an Aelux Representative 866-44-AELUX today.

Still hesitate to make the plunge to energy efficiency…read about how Aelux saved Motorola an annual energy savings of $70,954.

You may be surprised to learn that Food Sales, Food Services, Health Care, Offices and Lodging Facilities all consumer more electricity than the average commercial building. (http://www.eia.doe.gov)

A lighting retrofit can certainly help to plug this drain.  Read how a leading branded food company gained an annual energy savings of $10,633 and reduced their carbon footprint by 82 tons with a warehouse lighting retrofit.

Thinking you are in the clear if you consume less than the average commercial building – that may not be the case.

energy use for educational facilities

For example, while education facilities consumer less electricity than the average commercial building, lighting accounts for the majority of their electricity use.  There is a lot of money to be saved on lighting cost for any facility – just one reason why your business should consider a lighting audit.  Worried about cost – there are many rebates, grants and other incentives to help, and many lighting retrofit projects can be initiated with little or no money down.

A lighting audit is a great way to put your sustainability plan into action.  You will save money and often increase productivity as you create a more comfortable workplace for your employees.

Read more about starting with a professional lighting audit.   

U.S. businesses took a share of the $5.3 billion in utility energy efficiency programs, which included $4.4 billion for electric energy efficiency programs, up 38 percent from the previous year, and $930 million for natural gas programs, up by 79 percent. Electric energy-efficiency programs focus on commercial and industrial facilities, while natural gas programs more often target residential customers.

Utility energy efficiency programs also expanded geographically with programs now offered in 46 states, compared to only 37 states in 2008.

Check out rebates incentives for commercial / industrial / warehouse facilities:

• New York energy rebates
• Pennsylvania energy rebates

Implementing energy efficiency programs are cheaper for utilities and their customers rather than adding new sources of electricity, according to an ACEEE report released last year. The report found that the average cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy efficiency is about 2.5 cents, compared to 7 to 15 cents per kWh for adding new energy generation.

Another report from ACEEE last year estimates that the federal energy-efficiency target for reducing electricity and gas usage could result in utility bill savings of $168.6 billion for consumers and businesses.

Source

One of the easiest and most cost-effective routes to social responsibility is updating out-of-date lighting systems. According to the Energy Cost Savings Council, energy–efficient lighting projects pay for themselves in just 2.2 years and generate an average 45% return on investment. Yet, 80% of existing commercial buildings operate lighting systems installed before 1986. And now it’s been documented that sales will increase, too.

Interested in increasing sales by updating out-of-date lighting, read our lighting retrofit guidelines.

Also, a complete copy of the study, “Brand Virtue as a Competitive Asset,” is available at www.contextmarketing.com.

We all know energy savings is too important to postpone. Or keep a secret.