This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Energy Efficiency Workshop for Greater New Haven Small Businesses on December 11

Small business owners from the Greater New Haven area are invited to attend a free workshop on Wednesday, December 11, to learn about ways to reduce their energy expenses. Non-profit Operation Fuel and The United Illuminating Company (UI) will present the workshop at the Savin Rock Conference Center on 6 Rock Street in West Haven, from 6 pm to 7 pm.

 

The workshop will provide an overview of Operation Fuel’s Project BEST program, which helps small businesses become more energy efficient while offering financial assistance and incentives for implementing energy-saving changes. The program is funded by the Energize Connecticut initiative. A wide range of small businesses are eligible to participate in Project BEST including retail stores, restaurants, professional services and personal care services. Women-owned and minority-owned businesses, in particular, are encouraged to participate.

Find out what's happening in Hamdenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

“Project BEST is designed to be easy and convenient, and provide a much-needed financial resource to small businesses in the area,” said Patricia Wrice, Executive Director of Operation Fuel. “By taking advantage of these energy improvements, businesses will start to see real energy savings, which translate into lower energy expenses.”

Find out what's happening in Hamdenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

UI Program Administrator Dennis O’Connor will present information on energy conservation and utility-run programs available to small businesses, including the Small Business Energy Advantage Program that provides energy assessments for small businesses. There will be an opportunity to ask questions following the presentation.

 

Any business that has not received a commercial energy assessment in the past 12 months will be eligible for a $250 credit on their UI bill after completing the workshop and the assessment. Any business that has not attended a previous Project BEST workshop will be eligible to receive a $100 credit on their UI bill for attending the December 11 workshop.

 

Business owners who install recommended energy efficiency measures as a result of the energy assessment may be eligible for financial incentives to offset the cost of the upgrades. To qualify for special funding toward their project, the business owner must attend a Project BEST workshop and submit a completed application to Operation Fuel.

 

For more information on Project BEST, please contact Operation Fuel’s Small Business Advocate Julian Freund at julian@operationfuel.org or 860-243-2345, ext. 308.

 

About Operation Fuel

Operation Fuel is a private, nonprofit statewide program that has provided emergency energy assistance for the past 36 years to lower-income working families, the elderly and disabled individuals who are not eligible for energy assistance from government-funded programs. Additional information can be found at www.operationfuel.org.

 

About Energize Connecticut

Energize Connecticut helps you save money and use clean energy. It is an initiative of the Energy Efficiency Fund, the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, the State, and your local electric and gas utilities, with funding from a charge on customer energy bills. Information on energy–saving programs can be found at EnergizeCT.com or by calling 1.877.WISE.USE.

 

###

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?