Clean Energy (20% by 2010)
Dear Editor,
Several months ago, the Town Council formally engaged in an initiative named “20% by 2010.” This initiative was begun by SmartPower, a non-profit organization. The mission of SmartPower is “to foster clean air, healthy communities and energy independence by increasing the use of clean, renewable energy and reducing reliance on polluting, unhealthy fossil fuels.” The goal of this initiative is to get Connecticut using “clean, renewable energy” for 20% of our energy needs by 2010. This goal is achievable if we all participate.
Who can participate? Everyone, including governments, other organizations (such as churches & businesses) and individuals.
At our town government level, our Council has officially joined this non-binding initiative. (The expected cost to the town is $2,000 for the first year, but we can back out at any time for any reason.) However, more importantly, the Council has officially encouraged residents to personally participate in this initiative at the household level.
Why is it important to participate? It will help protect the environment and it is a step toward reducing our country’s dependence on foreign energy, inarguably a national security issue. Furthermore, it is affordable for most. (It costs about one cent per kilowatt hour.)
The entire initiative is rather extensive and merits a much more detailed explanation. For more information visit http://www.smartpower.org/.
We urge everyone in Cheshire to learn more about this opportunity. And we urge you to at least consider having your household participate in this very worthy initiative.
Sincerely,
Diane Visconti, Town Council, liaison to the Environment Commission
Tim White, Town Council, liaison to the Energy Commission
timwhite98@yahoo.com
To sign up for clean energy, go to:
www.cl-p.com/clpcommon/pdfs/companyinfo/publications/new_choice_clp.pdf
Clean Energy in the press:
http://www.record-journal.com/articles/2006/02/09/news/news10.txt
http://www.record-journal.com/articles/2005/08/09/news/news04.txt
http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15015502&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517515&rfi=8
7 comments:
I did email Dick Blumenthal about this apparent inequity. I did not receive a satisfactory response. But rather than following up with him now, I'm intending to call CL&P for an explanation.... to tie the rate hike to increases in oil prices, then include the rate hike for clean energy users (such as both myself and the Town of Cheshire) seems unfair.
On a personal note, I'm really upset about the recent CL&P rate hike. My concern is that I signed up to receive 100% of my electricity from "clean energy sources" back in August. (I had to pay a premium for clean energy.) Yet my electric rates increased, despite the claim that the rate hike was related (largely) to increases in oil prices. This makes no sense to me and I'm investigating. Thus far, I've contacted CL&P, Community Energy (my clean energy supplier) and the DPUC. Having made those phone calls, the current situation is that the DPUC is mailing me some information. I was told that the information is a bit confusing, but hopefully it will begin to shed some light on this apparent inequity.
also, isn't there a federal program that supports clean energy users in the form of tax breaks? from what i understand it's more based towards commercial, but nonetheless, could this be put towards that program as well?
This is about the best I can find.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#4
I may very well take advantage of it this spring. I'm considering buying 2kW of photovoltaic arrays (solar panels for electricity... not for heating water). Then with a 50% state grant to buy/install PVs, at $10k per kW, the $20k investment becomes $8k... and with an "energy star" refrigerator upgrade ($1500 or so), I'm hoping I can knock my $80-100/mo electric bill down to $40-50 or less. I'm not sure yet, but will probably do it.
These are rough numbers, but I believe the payback on the fridge would be 4-5 yrs. And the PVs would be 10 yrs or so.
I'm scheduled to have a Wallingford company do an energy audit on my house in April. Perhaps they'll come up with some other ideas.
Actually anonymous... just re-read your comment. I think I may have missed your point. About taking advantage of fed tax breaks related to the clean energy program... I don't think there is any such thing.
I say this because I believe there are two groups to which you may be referring... 1) gov't & 2) residential.
And since I don't see anyway that gov't would ever get a tax break, that leaves only residential that you could be talking about. And that was a topic that I recently addressed with SmartPower. And the rules of the program (if you want your house to qualify toward the town receiving free PVs) dictate that you purchase your clean energy from either Sterling or Community. Those are the only two options. And I'm not aware of any federal tax bene's for anyone who purchases their electricity from them.
That's not to say no bene's exist... but I don't know anything about them, if they do.
this is from a few articles...
Energy Efficient Commercial Improvements: If you own a commercial building or condo, you're eligible to claim an immediate deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot (versus depreciating the costs incurred over 39 years) by making major energy saving improvements to your building's lighting, hot water, and HVAC systems during 2006 and 2007. Upgrading insulation, metal roofs, and exterior doors and windows also counts towards this deduction.
Your plan must involve interior lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water systems, or any part of the building separating the interior from the outdoors, including windows, walls, ceilings and insulation.
Another tax break is available to business owners who invest in solar power. Under the new law, tax credits for commercial solar installation will increase from 10 percent to 30 percent if installation occurs between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007.
To take advantage of these new benefits, contact your tax advisor to determine how best to draw up your plan. For more details on the new deductions, visit www.irs.gov.
Now, as far as the possibilities that something like this could be applied to town projects, improvements on existing town owned buildings..... i am not sure. or, if this would be something that the town would be interested in investing in the first place. although, should there already be some sort of improvements in the works, i would suggest atleast taking a look at it. finding the information on it only takes a bit of time to look for it.
anonymous (3:19pm)...
please see my monthly Energy Commission posting. I have links to both state & federal tax incentives.
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