State of IL Announces Program Guidelines for Public Sector Energy Efficiency Electric and Gas Programs

SPRINGFIELD – The State Energy Office at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today released program guidelines for electric and gas rebates through its Illinois Energy Now program.

The Illinois Energy Now program assists communities and public schools in funding energy efficiency projects, and provides DCEO with the necessary resources to meet the State’s green goals by reducing the demand for electricity, conserving tax dollars and creating green sector jobs. Projects completed between June 1 and May 15, 2012 are eligible for the program.

“Prior to the implementation of the Illinois Energy Now program, there had never before been a more coordinated effort to achieve public sector energy reduction goals. Through this program, we are helping to build a cleaner, greener Illinois and creating jobs for the future,” said Warren Ribley, director of DCEO.

DCEO’s Illinois Energy Now program is open to municipalities, park districts, fire districts, public k-12 schools, public universities, community colleges and state and federal facilities within ComEd, Ameren Illinois electric and natural gas, Nicor, Peoples and Northshore service areas.

The Illinois Energy Now program offers a portfolio of integrated electric and natural gas efficiency programs to achieve targeted annual energy savings goals created by the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard that was signed into law in August 2007, giving Illinois the most ambitious energy efficiency standards in the nation.  In 2009, the portfolio was expanded to natural gas incentives.  It creates a substantial budget for programs and incentives to reduce electric and natural gas energy usage and demand for customers of ComEd, Ameren Illinois, Nicor, Peoples and Northshore.

As part of its Energy Efficiency Portfolio program, DCEO is also releasing the Building Industry Training and Education (B.I.T.E.) Request for Application for the program year beginning June 1, 2011 and ending May 31, 2012.  The objective of the Building Industry Training & Education Program is to assist the energy efficiency portfolio in achieving energy savings goals throughout Illinois.  This program year, DCEO will continue to offer a range of training programs for building professionals related to the building, rehab, operation and maintenance of all types of buildings.  Applications are due June 15, 2011.

For more information on the Illinois Energy Now and BITE programs, including program guidelines, visit www.illinoisenergy.org.

Source: illinois.gov