• The Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources and Kane County Connects are “Counting Down to Earth Day” with a series of articles on “Going Green” in 2019. This article was contributed by Kane County Executive Planner Karen Miller.

Kane County’s decades old conservation ethic recognizes fossil fuels as a finite, polluting and increasingly costly source of energy. A previous article in this Countdown to Earth Day 2019 series focused on the use of solar energy to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Another strategy is to increase energy efficiency in our homes, businesses, and industry. Not only will decreasing our use of fossil fuels benefit the Earth, but it will also keep more money in our pockets!

The Kane County 2040 Energy Plan, adopted by the County Board in 2011, includes residential, commercial, and industrial strategies for reducing energy consumption:

1. Retrofit existing buildings
2. Include green building standards in new construction
3. Encourage on-site renewable energy
4. Encourage behavior modification by users
5. Encourage energy efficient window air conditioner replacement
6. Encourage energy efficient refrigerator replacement

We’re only human, so sometimes we need a little or maybe even a lot of encouragement to nudge us in the right direction. So today I’d like to provide you with some of the incentives that are out there to inspire you to use less energy and save money.

Most of the electricity consumed in Kane County is provided by ComEd. A look at ComEd’s website provides the following “Ways to Save”:

Home Energy Assessment

ComEd customers have opportunities to reduce energy usage with a FREE energy assessment that includes free and discounted products for your home.

ComEd has partnered with your natural gas utility to bring electric and natural gas savings to you. The following products are available for free with free installation:

• ENERGY STAR certified LEDs
• Programmable thermostats
• WaterSense certified showerheads
• WaterSense certified faucet aerators for bathrooms and kitchens
• Hot water pipe insulation

ENERGY STAR® certified Nest smart thermostats are available for purchase at a discount during the assessment and include FREE installation.

Discounts And Rebates

Discounts and rebates are also available for appliances, lighting, heating & cooling, pool pumps, weatherization and other home products.

Free Refrigerator Recycling

ComEd will pick up your old, working fridge or freezer for FREE, recycle it in an environmentally responsible way, plus send you $50.

Recycle a working dehumidifier or room air conditioner at the same time and get an additional $10 each.

Facility Assessments

Facility assessments are a great way to save money.

ComEd can help your business find energy-saving opportunities throughout your facility including data centers and combined heat and power.

Building optimization including retro-commissioning and the reduction of energy waste and lowered operating costs for industrial systems is also available.

Incentives

Incentives are available for:

• High performance building equipment for new construction design
• Farm equipment
• Energy efficient lighting, fixtures and sensors
• HVAC upgrades
• Refrigeration
• Data center equipment
• Variable speed drives
• Lab equipment
• Commercial equipment

Local, State And Federal Government Perks

Government incentives and technical services are available to help municipalities, counties, townships, and other units of government save money and energy.

• Streetlights Incentives for replacing streetlights with energy-efficient LED fixtures.
• Schools And Libraries —Through energy efficiency, schools can cut costs while improving students’ learning experience.
• Park Districts — Enhance sustainability indoors and out with energy efficiency opportunities.
• New! Public Sector New Construction — Maximize benefits and incentives for your next new construction or major renovation project.

Watch the webinar here.

So go out there and celebrate Earth Day today by choosing one or more of the incentives available to you to increase your energy efficiency and save money, too!

See the ComEd website for more Information.

Read The Countdown to Earth Day Series!

• No. 16: Introduction to Earth Day — Let’s Focus on Working Together! (Jessica Mino)
• No. 15: Stop Volcano Mulching! It Does More Harm Than Good! (Valerie Blaine)
• No. 14: Slow Down! We’ve Got Turtles Crossing Here! (Pam Otto)
• No. 13: Check Out Kane County’s Not-So-Secret, Totally Awesome Sustainable Transportation (Ryan Peterson and Troy Simpson)
• No. 12: Fires Erupting All Over Kane County This April (Rob Linke)
• No. 11: How To Inspire Your Kids To Love Their River (Meghan Yancey and Jenni Schiavone)
• No. 10: New Incentives Could Get You 60% Off Solar Installation (Christina Uzzo)
• No. 9: Kane Makes History — First Illinois County To Adopt Greenest Region Compact (Jessica Mino)
• No. 8: Easter Recycling! What To Do With Egg Cartons And Candy Wrappers (Jennifer Jarland)
• No. 7: Help Keep The Crud Out Of Stormsewers (Anne Wilford)
• No. 6: Recycling Plastics — What’s a ‘Tub,’ And How Do I Recycling It? (Jennifer Jarland)
• No. 5: Why Recycling Alone Can’t Fix Plastics Problem (Jessica Mino)
• No. 4: Freebies! Discounts! Rebates! Plenty of Incentives To ‘Go Green’ in 2019 (Karen Miller)