There is funding available to launch a MainStreet Efficiency partnership in nearly every community in America.
Most utility providers are under order by state governments to invest in programs that bring more energy efficiency to their customers. Utilities will generally share in the cost and organize financing for the installation of new lights, appliances, HVAC tune-ups or new thermostats in homes and businesses.
Most communities in America are eligible for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the Recovery Bill that was passed by Congress and signed into law early this year, either directly to their city, county or through their state capital, depending on population. The law grants communities wide discretion to use those resources to invest in programs that create jobs, reduce energy use and encourage sustainability.
Other funding for communities from the federal government is in the State Energy Grant and low income Weatherization Programs. These programs offer the opportunity for local units of government to work with their state energy offices and housing authorities to address long deferred energy efficiency upgrades in communities.
The MainStreet Efficiency is designed to leverage these utility programs and community stimulus awards to put in place a no-nonsense, shovel-ready program that creates green jobs, makes homes and businesses more profitable and energy efficient. The premise of the MainStreet Efficiency partnership is to combine the funding streams to construct programs to pay 100% of the costs of a selected range of conservation measures, such as new lights, thermostats, HVAC tune-ups, etc. By combining utility and government resources, a campaign can be built to take these efficiencies block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, to move those retrofits rapidly and make a big impact on energy and sustainability while creating thousands of local jobs.
