Madison, Wis. – FOCUS ON ENERGY® responded to the devastating August 2018 flooding across southern Wisconsin with a monetary bonus offer to small businesses and the numbers show many took advantage.
The special Community Small Business Offering (CSBO) flood campaign, which launched last fall, doubled the normal financial incentives available through the CSBO Program. In the end, the bonus offering led to:
• 333 small businesses/groups completing at least one energy efficiency projects
• 376 projects completed by 78 different Focus on Energy Trade Ally contractors
• 1,000 separate energy efficiency measures included in those projects
Those that took advantage of the offer, like American Legion Post 116 in Coon Valley, received combined financial incentives of more than $1,034,000 from Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable resources program. They money helps small businesses owners invest in energy efficiency upgrades for lighting, refrigeration, heating and cooling equipment, food service equipment and more.
The 107 Wisconsin utilities that partner in the Focus on Energy Program assisted by helping identify severely flood-damaged communities in rural ZIP codes in 18 Wisconsin counties. Energy Advisors with Focus on Energy canvassed many of the affected communities, stopping by small businesses to make sure they knew about the increased financial incentives available. They also gave more than 500 free energy efficiency kits to the businesses they visited, which included things like high-efficiency LED light bulbs, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, and advanced power strips.
Something as simple as replacing 10 typical, 60-watt incandescent bulbs with high-efficiency LED bulbs can save a small business more than $300 a year, and LEDs have been shown to last many times longer than incandescent, halogen and CFL bulbs.
Focus on Energy offers energy expertise and financial incentives to help Wisconsin residents and businesses find long-term cost savings while decreasing energy waste. A recent third-party evaluation revealed Wisconsin runs the most cost-effective energy efficiency programs in the nation, in terms of energy savings per dollar spent. The same evaluation found every $1 invested in Focus on Energy generates $5 in benefits for Wisconsin, including economic benefits, reduced energy costs and reduced pollution.
About Focus on Energy
Focus on Energy is Wisconsin utilities' statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program funded by the state's investor-owned energy utilities and participating municipal and electric cooperative utilities. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus on Energy information, resources and financial incentives help to implement projects that otherwise would not be completed. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect our environment and control Wisconsin's growing demand for electricity and natural gas. For more information call 800.762.7077 or visit focusonenergy.com.
Photo: A man from American Legion Post 116 in Coon Valley points to the highest point the water reached during August 2018 flooding.
