Page 18 - ES&G report 2021 final
P. 18

Associated helps members take control of their energy                                                                     Investing in rural economies benefits member communities


            Take Control & Save, a branded portfolio of energy efficiency services and rebates funded by Associated and its           Associated’s Power for Progress economic development initiative is designed to provide cooperative systems
            member systems, provides significant financial incentives for members to save energy. Energy efficiency materi-           with resources to develop, lead and participate in activities that provide economic and community growth
            als and resources are promoted to help educate member-system employees and their members about saving                     within their service territories. This effort is led by a member-led Economic Development Planning Commit-
            energy and reducing their electric bill. See www.takecontrolandsave.coop.                                                 tee on behalf of the member systems throughout Associated’s service territory. Programs include:
                                                                                                                                      • Matching grant program.
                                                                                                                                      • Rural economic development loan and grant program.
                                                                                                                                      • Training: basics of site selection, principles of community development and more.
                                                                                                                                      • Distribution cooperative rate analysis.
                                                                                                                                      • Industrial properties database.
            Rebates are provided to help increase efficiency over a wide
            range of products and services:                                                                                           Drive for electric vehicles fueled by charging station, vehicle incentives

            • Air conditioners                                                                                                        Through 2023, Associated is encouraging the growing electric vehicle market by offering a reimbursement of
            • Electric water heaters                                                                                                  up to $5,000 to each distribution and G&T cooperative for the purchase or lease of electric vehicle charging
            • Heat pump water heaters                                                                                                 stations for public and/or cooperative use. Each station must be a level-two or level-three UL-approved station.
            • Smart thermostats
            • Programmable timer – engine block heaters                                                                               Each distribution cooperative and G&T member through 2023 can also access up to $5,000 toward the pur-
            • High efficiency motors                                                                                                  chase or lease of one new electric (zero emissions) fleet car and an additional $5,000 toward the purchase or
            • Variable frequency drive motors for HVAC systems                                                                        lease of one new electric (zero emissions) fleet pickup truck.
            • Ground source heat pumps
            • Basement/crawl space/slab insulation rebates
            • Air source and mini-split heat pumps
            • Home energy audits
            • Home energy weatherization
            • Small commercial/industrial and nonprofit energy audits
            • Business, school and nonprofit lighting
                                                                                                                                         ChooseEV is a web-based
                                                                                                                                         resource toolkit designed
                                                                                                                                         to educate consumer
                                                                                                                                         members on the benefits
                                                                                                                                         of owning and operating
                                                                                                                                         an electric vehicle. The
                                                                                                                                         toolkit can be integrated
                                                                                                                                         directly into each cooper-
                                                                                                                                         ative’s existing website or
                                                                                                                                         offered as a stand-alone.
                                                                                                                                         All 57 member systems
                                                                                                                                         have access to the base
                                                                                                                                         package. Each system has
                                                                                                                                         the option to purchase
                                                                                                                                         additional modules.
               Participating co-ops have invested more than $66 million
               from 2008 – 2020, resulting in projected lifetime kilowatt-hour
               savings of about 2.7 billion kilowatt-hours – enough energy to
               power about 188,000 member homes for one year.




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