Mother Lode Counties Get New Energy Efficiency Program
Sonora, CA— Sierra Business Council recently launched a program aimed at bringing energy savings, rebates, and resources to rural California communities.
The Northern Rural Energy Network (NREN) is part of a statewide initiative featuring regional energy networks focused on helping communities grow and thrive through the adoption of energy efficiency and electrification initiatives. The Sierra Business Council will administer NREN’s energy efficiency programs to PG&E residential customers across the following 14 Sierra Nevada counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sutter, Tuolumne, and Yuba counties.
“This is an incredibly important way to improve utility rate affordability in the Sierra,“ says Steve Frisch, president of the Sierra Business Council. “For every $1 invested in energy efficiency, customers save $8 on their utility bill. For 25 years, Sierra residents have been paying for statewide energy efficiency programs while not having full access to the services necessary to lower ratepayers’ bills. As SBC implements the programs of the Northern Rural Energy Network, we will be focusing on lowering customers’ bills, serving hard-to-reach communities and ratepayers with modest incomes, and creating jobs in the region that pay living wages.”
NREN will initially focus on residential programming designed to help community members reduce energy costs and carbon emissions in their homes. Services include residential rebates for energy efficiency improvements and electrification, free home energy assessments conducted over the phone or in person, and complimentary energy efficiency kits. The energy efficiency kits, which will be mailed to customers who sign up, may contain light bulbs, water-saving aerators, power strips, energy monitors, and other easy-to-use items that can assist customers in reducing their energy usage.
The formation of NREN is a direct response to the unique issues and urgent needs of underrepresented rural California energy customers. Developed by rural agencies and organizations for rural communities, NREN creates innovative strategies for reducing energy use and increasing the adoption of energy-saving resources throughout northern California’s expansive rural regions.
“NREN is specifically designed to target rural and underserved communities that have been historically left out of energy efficiency programming delivered throughout the state of California,” says Sherry Hao, director of energy services at Sierra Business Council. “By tailoring our programs to rural needs and customers, we provide the tools, knowledge, and support our communities need to make informed and cost-effective energy decisions.”
NREN will launch additional programs throughout the year to help rural communities implement energy savings, train the local workforce, and boost our regional economy. Upcoming programs include rebates for small businesses, financing opportunities, a workforce education and training component to upskill existing contractors, as well as resources for codes and standards for public agencies and contractors. Click here for more details.
