Staunton Green 2020

Great article in last Sunday’s Staunton News Leader about local homeowners adding solar installations to their roofs and saving bundles on electricity.  Click here to see it. Later this fall Staunton Green 2020 plans to hold a workshop on how to do residential solar.

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On Thursday May 6, the House of Representatives passed the Home Star bill dubbed “Cash for Caulkers” because homeowners could collect thousands of dollars in rebates for renovating their homes with better insulation and energy-saving windows and doors. Caulking, adding attic insulation, installing energy star appliances are great ways to cut energy costs, reduce carbon emissions and save money. But without incentives it is tough to take these kind of actions.

Ready to make changes in your home? Keep an eye out this fall for Staunton Green 2020 re-skilling workshops on all sorts of topics that will help you green your fall and save you money this winter.

The bill (H.R. 5019) now goes to the Senate for consideration.

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We’re inspired by PIMBY, a small business based in Thomas, West Virginia. Who here in Staunton will start a similar business? We think there’s a great opportunity here.

PIMBY stands for “Power in My Backyard”. The company provides services ranging from site assessments, home energy audits, and the installation of alternative energy systems such as wind and solar.

Matt, PIMBY’s owner, also keeps a blog.  A recent entry concerns a nifty gadget called TED. I want one!

TED stands for “The Energy Detective”, a device that measures energy consumption in your home. What’s cool about TED is that it connects to Google’s Power Meter – giving you real-time feedback on your usage so you can make adjusts to use less and save money, too.

Are you eligible for an energy-efficiency rebate? Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling’s office just allocated new funds to support Virginians who make energy upgrades. Details below:

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Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling announced that approximately $6.5 million is available for a second round of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebate Program to make homes and businesses more energy efficient.  Energy efficiency improvements include upgrading heating and air conditioning equipment, adding insulation, replacing leaky windows, and other improvements that reduce energy consumption and utility costs.  Homeowners are eligible for rebates for 20 percent of the costs of qualifying energy conserving products and services, up to $2,000.  Commercial consumers are eligible for 20 percent of their costs, up to $4,000. Qualified home and business owners also can reserve an additional $250 for a certified energy audit.

Three appliances have been added to the program for the second round; refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers. The online application, rules, forms and additional information are available at www.dmme.virginia.gov.

Applicants can apply to reserve funding for a rebate.  Once approved, they then have up to six months to complete the work and redeem the reservation for a rebate check.    Applications for rebate reservations will be processed in the order they are received.  Once reservations deplete available funds, applications will be placed on a wait list in the order received.  Wait-listed applicants may be approved for rebate reservations if additional funds become available. (The first round of funding for efficiency rebates totaling about $10 million was sold out in less than three weeks when the program opened in late October.)

The Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebate Program is administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More information is available at www.dmme.virginia.gov.

A separate Solar and Wind Incentive Program also has opened a $3.5 million second round of funding to help defray the costs of solar electric, solar thermal and small wind energy systems for residents, businesses, and non-profits. Information is available at www.dmme.virginia.gov.

Mark your calendars, we’ve set a date for the first biomass energy presentation. We’ve asked people to come and speak on the topic of growing switchgrass as a fuel alternative here in Staunton.

Where: Mary Baldwin College’s Francis Auditorium
When: Thursday, January 21 — 7-8:30 p.m.

There is no cost to attend but we will request an RSVP closer to the date.

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Are you eligible for an energy efficiency rebate?

The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME), Division of Energy will provide up to $15 million in rebates for energy efficiency measures and equipment to retrofit homes and commercial property, and up to $15 million in rebates for renewable energy equipment and systems for residential and commercial applications.

An online form to request a conditional reservation of funds is available here:
http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DE/ARRA-Public/SEPRebate.shtml

Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebates will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. A two-step process will be used to allocate the money. First, applicants will request a conditional reservation of funds. When a reservation is confirmed, funds will be set aside while the applicant is allowed up to 180 days to complete work. The second part of the rebate process requires the applicant who successfully reserved funds to provide documentation of costs and compliance with all program requirements in order to receive a rebate check.

Questions about the Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebate Program should be directed to the following email address: FAQefficient -AT- dmme.virginia.gov

Questions will be answered by DMME and posted to a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the website, here:
http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DE/ARRA-Public/SEPRebate.shtml

Don’t forget: there is also money available to those who qualify to weatherize of your home. If you don’t qualify for either of these programs, please tell someone who may…

FREE! OPEN TO THE PUBLIC…RSVP by September 28:

The second meeting of the Virginia 25x’25 State Alliance will be held on the campus of Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA on Tuesday, October 6th. Please share this with others whom you think may be interested in attending on October 6. This session will begin at 2 PM and be held in Moody Hall.

We have organized this meeting to be held prior to the Commonwealth of Virginia Energy Symposium (COVES) to help maximize travel and facilitate new connections across Virginia. Please visit: www.vmi.edu/coves for more information on COVES and to register for the event. A panel is being coordinated to focus on 25x’25 in Virginia as a part of COVES and will be held on October 8th.

I hope you will be able to join us in Lexington on October 6. Please RSVP to Ryan Cornett (cornetrp AT jmu.edu) by September 28.

Virginia Energy Work Session

What are your favorite environmental tips for the home? Please share in the comments section. Here are ore earth-friendly home tips for your living room and bathroom from SG2020 member Gena Adams:

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Local NBC29 reports the recent efforts by the City of Staunton to save energy and taxpayer money.

Some highlights:

• In the last 18 months, Staunton City Hall has cut energy use by 20 percent. Other city buildings have also seen double-digit drops
• Energy-use changes in the public school system alone have already saved the City nearly $70,000
• More efficient, modern air conditioning units installed in public buildings
• Encouraging new development to incorporate green practices — encourage, not legislate — (e.g. Western State Hospital)
• Investigating funds to replace school crossing signals with solar powered units and using water-based paints whenever possible

Watch the video here.

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By Bruce Dorries, Staunton Green 2020 Charter Member, for Staunton’s News Leader, June 6, 2009:

Switchgrass sounds like something a school marm out west on the ol’ prairie would apply to the backsides of unruly students. In fact, Panicum virgatum, a native, grows very well right here in even the poorest of soils.

It could prove a rich, renewable source of energy in these parts. Switchgrass might have the power to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while benefiting farmers and wildlife. No one is likely to become a switchgrass baron or insanely wealthy from trading grasses futures, but the hardy perennial (a.k.a. wand panic grass) has great potential for augmenting farmers’ incomes and our nation’s need for reliable, domestic sources of energy.

About a dozen local farmers turned out in Verona recently to hear federal agriculture and Virginia Tech officials make a pitch for the grass as a more sustainable, economical form of cattle feed, as low-cost poultry house bedding, and as a renewable biofuel.

Click here to continue reading at the News Leader’s website.