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The Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) and NSTAR launched a commercial outreach effort today in the Cambridge small business community to promote energy efficiency measures and accompanied incentives. Over the course of the next three weeks, CEA is partnering with Northeastern University’s Summer Discovery program to visit small businesses establishments throughout Cambridge. Volunteers from the Northeastern University’s Summer Discovery and the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment programs will be key participants in making this canvass a success. Volunteers will visit over 1,000 businesses in the Cambridge community, and will in turn receive valuable, hands-on community outreach and energy efficiency experience that will aid them in future endeavors. The Cambridge commercial canvass helps businesses save money on their utility bills through energy efficiency improvements, by connecting businesses to NSTAR’s Direct Install, Small Business Program. "Our Direct Install Program for Small Businesses helped save 30 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2009 alone," said Penni Conner, NSTAR Vice President of Customer Care. "This initiative provides free energy assessments and incentives for qualifying businesses, including discounts of up to 70% on certain efficiency measures. We believe energy efficiency is one of the best ways to reduce energy use resulting in lower customer energy bills -- a true win-win situation." In addition to helping businesses become more energy efficient, business owners can also become eligible for participation in the Energy Business Leader program. “This summer’s Commercial Canvass will be a great opportunity for local businesses to reduce their costs and help the city reduce its carbon footprint” said Lilah Glick, Director of Community Outreach at CEA. “Energy Efficiency not only makes good business sense, but the Energy Business Leader Program provides an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to doing their part to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.” The targets for this canvass are Cambridge’s main commercial squares including: Harvard, Central, Porter, Inman, Kendall, East Cambridge, and Huron Village. This canvass, organized by CEA, is a collaboration of many institutions. CEA is working closely with NSTAR,the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, and participating Business Associations. Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce shared that, “We are excited about this important initiative and are eager to see the results from businesses taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints. Energy Efficiency improvements are an excellent way for businesses to improve their bottom-line during these tough economic times.” Other benefits to this program include using less energy, saving money, catching up on neglected maintenance, and even improving the comfort and productivity of staff and customers. Working with the CEA means that businesses will have easy access to rebates and incentives, access to financing options, and free guidance through the energy assessment process. The Cambridge Energy Alliance is also connecting businesses to other valuable resources in the community including the city’s Façade Improvement and Better Retail Practices programs, Sustainable Business Leader Program, and New Generation Energy.
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Governor Patrick Hails Cambridge Energy Efficiency Initiative as Model to Spread Across the Commonwealth

Governor Deval Patrick today announced a $2 million state revolving loan fund to cover the start-up costs of large-scale energy efficiency programs modeled on the Cambridge Energy Alliance, an innovative public-private partnership also unveiled today. The state fund, called MassEfficiency, will allow the City of Boston and four other Massachusetts cities to replicate the Cambridge effort, which promises $100 million in efficiency measures to be paid for largely out of the savings they generate. “The Cambridge Energy Alliance is pioneering a new model for energy efficiency that should be replicated by communities across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Patrick, speaking at the launch of the Alliance at the Cambridge City Hall Annex. “MassEfficiency will help make that happen.” The Cambridge Energy Alliance is a new nonprofit organization formed in partnership with the City of Cambridge to carry out a first-in-the-nation level of energy efficiency measures in a single city. Over the next five years, the Cambridge Energy Alliance will carry out a $100+ million energy efficiency implementation effort, while also installing, where feasible, new renewable and clean energy generation, and technologies that curb electricity use during peak demand periods. The tagline of the program, which will also target transportation, water use and heating efficiencies, is Saving Money and the Planet. Specifically, the Cambridge Energy Alliance aims to reduce electricity demand by 50MW, a 15% peak load reduction; reduce annual electricity and water consumption by 10% citywide; and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from the city by 150,000 tons (10%) by 2011. The Alliance intends to achieve a participation rate of 50% in each sector of customers (municipal, commercial, residential). “As a foundation focused on climate change solutions, we view cities as the most promising areas for near-term success in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rob Pratt, Senior Vice-President of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, which, along with the Barr Foundation, provided start-up funding for the Cambridge Energy Alliance. “In city environments, a targeted energy efficiency approach is a clear win-win – reduced emissions and lower energy bills.” Cities naturally aggregate both needs and services and can therefore support the unique but replicable financial mechanism – a Revolving Fund for Energy Efficiency – designed by the Cambridge Energy Alliance. Approximately 80% of the financing will come from private sources. The remaining 20% will come from a number of electrical utility incentive programs that were established in part to promote energy efficiency. As a result, energy savings and clean energy installations will, in most cases, be paid for by the project financing and repaid from future energy savings of companies, municipal facilities, universities, hospitals, small businesses, and residents. No upfront costs will be required for such installations, and there will be no cost to Cambridge or state taxpayers. “What’s exciting about this initiative is that it brings private financing to a large-scale energy efficiency project,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. “Governor Patrick and I are glad to be able to provide start-up funds for five more cities to adopt the Cambridge Energy Alliance model through MassEfficiency. The City of Boston, in particular, will be able to take the lessons learned in Cambridge and apply them to an even bigger market, for more savings in energy and money, and greater environmental benefits.” “I appreciate Governor Patrick’s commitment and leadership in providing the necessary start-up funding to expand this major energy efficiency program to the City of Boston and beyond,” said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “Conservation is where we must first look to meet our future energy needs, because with each kilowatt we save we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, eliminate pollution in our neighborhoods, and provide cost savings to residents and businesses alike. The Governor’s leadership in this area will help leverage hundreds of millions of dollars in capital for these projects, serving as a major boost to our economy and creating jobs.”

CEA and NSTAR begin small business canvass

This summer (July 6-22) CEA and NSTAR will be reaching out to Cambridge’s small business community to promote energy efficiency measures and accompanied incentives. The Cambridge commercial canvass is made possible through a partnership with Northeastern University’s Summer Discovery program which is supplying six volunteers for the duration of the small commercial campaign. After several days of training, volunteers will visit Cambridge’s small businesses establishments, and alert businesses of money-saving opportunities in their buildings. Businesses that implement qualified energy efficiency improvements will be eligible to receive a window sticker certifying them as a Green Business Leader. Benefits incurred from energy efficiency improvements include: using less energy, saving money, catching up on deferred maintenance, and improving comfort and productivity of staff and customers. The Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) is a community-based nonprofit organization sponsored by the City of Cambridge that helps residents and business owners invest in making their homes and buildings work smarter and more efficiently-saving energy, water and money. CEA aims to tackle building inefficiencies because 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Cambridge are from buildings, and over 60% of those emissions come from the commercial sector. In order to reduce Cambridge energy use CEA helps residents, businesses, and institutions of all sizes make their buildings work smarter and better by presenting them with tips, incentives, and rebates to help them save energy, water, and money. The incentives CEA presents are offered through NSTAR, Cambridge’s local environmentally-forward utility company.

CEA Announces New Management Team

The Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) today announced a powerful new management team that positions the organization for future growth and fulfillment of its ambitious energy efficiency and clean energy goals. The CEA is one of the nation’s leading city initiatives to dramatically increase energy efficiency implementation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, having begun implementation operations in 2008. CEA Board Chairman Paul Allison stated that he was delighted to announce that Rob Pratt, a nationally known energy efficiency and renewable energy leader, has agreed to serve as President; Paul Gromer, a highly respected energy expert and former government leader, has become Vice President; Deborah Donovan, an influential energy advocate and expert, has assumed the interim Executive Director’s position; and Josh Hassol, the current CEO, will join the organization’s board of directors. “The Cambridge Energy Alliance is very fortunate to have the talent, experience and leadership that Rob Pratt, Paul Gromer, Deborah Donovan, and Josh Hassol bring to our city,” Allison said. “Their dedication to make Cambridge an energy efficiency model for the nation, and to assist the city in formulating and implementing energy and climate strategies that reduce costs as well as carbon emissions, is worthy of a city that has been home to great ideas that have changed the world.” “I am excited about helping Cambridge and the CEA craft new programs and implementation strategies that will significantly accelerate energy efficiency and reduce the City’s carbon footprint,” Pratt declared. “We must work with City officials, large and small businesses, colleges and universities, homeowners and apartment dwellers, non-profit organizations and churches, to map out a new way to save energy and lower climate emissions. Climate change is the environmental issue of the century, and I can’t imagine a better city than Cambridge to demonstrate to the nation -- through bold programs and actions -- what is possible.” Pratt, Gromer, and Donovan have worked together for many years on Massachusetts energy issues. They were part of the team that originally founded CEA in 2007, collaborating closely with an influential team including Cambridge City Manager Robert Healy; energy efficiency pioneers David Dayton and Steve Morgan; city officials Susanne Rasmussen, John Bolduc, and Rosalie Anders; and environmental and governmental leader Doug Foy. Funding for the initiative has come from the Kendall Foundation, the Barr Foundation, the Chorus Foundation, the Boston Foundation, and the Merck Family Fund, as well as from prominent Boston area individuals who believe in the importance of formulating new models to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The CEA Board and its new management team have initiated a search for an Executive Director who can lead a national “laboratory” for energy-efficiency initiatives. As a municipally-sponsored nonprofit corporation, CEA has attracted wide interest in experimenting with solutions to some of the most vexing barriers to the vast untapped potential of efficiency improvements in all types of facilities. This public-private model, under its new leadership, has already devised new forms of leases, offers, and financing techniques that are now ready for test among all market sectors. Background on the Cambridge Energy Alliance Management Team Rob Pratt, President. Rob brings to CEA 30 years of renewable energy and energy efficiency experience in the private sector, government, and various non-profit organizations. Currently CEO of EnergyClimate Solutions, he was formerly Senior VP of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation that helped to initiate the Cambridge Energy Alliance. He also served as Director of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, a $250 million state fund to promote the development of renewable energy as well as clean energy economic development in MA. In the 1990s, he was CEO of Energia Global (now Enel Latin America), a company that became one of the largest renewable energy development companies in Central America. Rob is a national and regional leader in clean energy and currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of the American Council on Renewable Energy; Chairman, founder (1984) and board member of the International Institute for Energy Conservation; Treasurer and board member of the Alliance to Save Energy; and Executive Committee and board member of the New England Clean Energy Council. Paul Gromer, Vice President. Paul has many years of energy experience in the state, serving as the Massachusetts Commissioner of Energy Resources and the Chairman of the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Council, with a wealth of knowledge and experience in developing and implementing the state’s energy policies as well as in power plant siting and utility planning. Currently the President of the Peregrine Energy Group, Paul has continued to help shape energy policy as a co-founder and leader of two energy trade associations, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Council and the Solar Energy Business Association of New England. He is an attorney and has represented energy companies before public utility commissions in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and New York. Mr. Gromer is a member of the MA Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, the CT Solar Advisory Council, and the board of directors of the New England Clean Energy Council, and is co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Energy and Telecommunications Law Committee. Deborah Donovan, Interim Executive Director. Deborah has been a senior member of the team developing and implementing the CEA program from the organization’s inception. She leads the organization’s efforts to craft many aspects of the program’s innovative design and create CEA’s business delivery capabilities. Deborah has been focused on expanding CEA’s opportunities in the city’s business sector, as well as the program’s participation in market-based regulatory programs. She brings to CEA over 25 years of experience in both public and private organizations, focusing on energy and environmental policy design and implementation. Throughout her career, Deborah has applied her expertise as an economist and policy analyst to the areas of climate change, renewable energy, energy efficiency, air quality, and electric power markets. Prior to joining CEA, Deborah worked for several Cambridge-based organizations. She managed the Northeast Energy Policy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists for six years. Deborah also worked as a Senior Project Manager in the environmental consulting practice of Abt Associates. Her previous experience includes senior positions with a major electric utility and various environmental and economic consulting organizations.

Site updated: May 1, 2024 Page updated: July 7, 2010

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