Dec 14th, 2007
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has awarded Michigan GREEN (Group for a Renewable Energy Efficient Nation) a $500,000 grant from its Low-Income Energy Efficiency Fund to organize, implement, and complete a low-income energy efficiency project.
This Michigan GREEN grant will fund the purchase and distribution of energy saving kits to low-income multifamily facilities throughout Michigan. The kits, specifically designed for apartments, will contain items such as compact fluorescent lamps, LED nightlights, energy/water saving showerheads and faucet flow moderators.
In 2006, Michigan GREEN, then a non-profit association, partnered with Bay College in Escanaba on a similar energy kit project. That project, made possible with a $750,000 Low-Income Energy Efficiency Grant from the MPSC, involved the distribution of more than 7,000 kits to 180 housing developments in 61 Michigan counties. Data from the 2006 energy kit project have now verified that the conservation measures in the kits are generating annual energy savings of more than $110/apartment - a return on investment of less than one year.
Today's announcement represents the first grant received by Michigan GREEN, now a non-profit corporation. The project, which includes the distribution of energy kits to low-income residents, will lower the monthly energy bills of 5,000 households throughout Michigan. The project will be completed by August 2008.
The fact that rising energy costs continue to disproportionately affect low-income residents' budgets is a strong motivation for this project. While most households spend an estimated 6% of their budget on energy bills, low-income households spend 12% of their monthly income for the same expense. Therefore, as energy costs increase, low-income households feel the impact more intensely in struggling to make ends meet. The energy savings produced year after year by the kits will provide some assistance in that effort.
Rising energy costs also affect our state housing commissions as their federal subsidies for energy costs are not keeping up with the cost increases. While many commissions have made improvements to the common areas of their multifamily facilities, more still have not addressed the conservation opportunities within their apartment units. The energy kits can make a substantial savings in these apartments, numbering more than 125,000 statewide, and reduce housing commission utility bills significantly.
Michigan GREEN (Group for a Renewable Energy Efficient Nation) is a nonprofit statewide organization headquartered in Escanaba that is dedicated to advancing the implementation of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Members include engineers, consultants, manufacturers, businesses, schools and organizations throughout Michigan. More information on the group can be found at www.michigangreen.org.
Low-income multi-family facilities or housing commissions interested in participating in the program should contact Jackie Zaplitny at 888-473-5444.