​A recent concern for many has been home visits from our heat pump installer partners.  In light of today’s circumstances, the thought of visitors in your home may carry with it a sense of general discomfort and unease.  HeatSmart Tompkins and our experienced installer partners understand these feelings and are now offering informational webinars and virtual home visits.  Please check out our upcoming “Lunchtime Installer Case Study Webinar Series” to learn more about each of our installer partners and some of the excellent heat pump installation and insulation work they have done.

New York businesses have begun reopening, and our installer partners are taking the necessary precautions to safely resume their work.  The start of summer brings the need for clean energy air-conditioning and better home insulation to keep your home cool and dry.  Now more than ever, home improvement projects should not be overlooked.  In the interest of safety, remote home assessments are available for those who prefer them.
​
The first step is to enroll on our HeatSmart Tompkins website.  You can select any or all of our partner installers for a home assessment.  A virtual meeting can be set-up between the client and an installer partner, in which the client’s home is assessed and the client’s individual heating and cooling needs are discussed.  Through these virtual home visits and HeatSmart Tompkins’ installer case study webinar series (attend live or view recordings), our local community members will continue to be advised on the most accurate, up-to-date heat pump system information to reduce their homes’ carbon emissions, save money on energy bills, and live in a more comfortable home year-round.

​Due to unprecedented demand the 0% interest offer from NYSERDA/GJGNY is nearly depleted.

The offer of 0% financing to finance eligible energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems will end at 6:00 p.m. (EST) on Monday June 15, 2020. 

All applications received prior to this deadline will receive the 0% interest rate.

If you were counting on getting these funds for a heat pump and/or insulation project, please try and get your loan approval application completed today! 
 
You don't need to have already signed a contract with an installer or have completed an assessment to apply for a loan pre-approval at 0% interest. Be aware that the loan application does not talk about the 0% interest option.  Don’t worry about that. It is a generic form covering multiple loan programs. Give us a call if you have any questions about this!

Click here to read NYSERDA's notice about the 0% financing availability. 

We encourage you to also enroll with HeatSmart Tompkins, if you haven't already, so that we can help you explore your options:

Don't forget to join us for our Lunchtime Installer Case Study Webinar Series.
​
Dailey Geothermal Case Study
June 18 (Thurs)  Noon-12:45 pm - webinar
REGISTER HERE 

Snug Planet Case Study
June 23 (Tues)  Noon-12:45 pm - webinar
REGISTER HERE

Halco Geothermal Case Study
June 25 (Thurs)  Noon-12:45 pm - webinar
REGISTER HERE

NP Environmental Case Study
June 30 (Tues)  Noon-12:45 pm - webinar
REGISTER HERE

HeatSmart Tompkins participant Brice Smith said his heat pump hot water heater “was able to cut our energy use for hot water in half. With our new baby, we have a lot of hot water use; a lot of laundry, a lot of baths, and we’ve been incredibly happy with this system…it’s always provided more hot water than we could ever use!”

Want to learn more heating your domestic hot water with heat pumps? Head to our archive of  2020 webinars and watch “Get Into Heat Pump Hot Water(!) Heaters.”

NYSEG is now offering a $700 rebate off the price of one! A high efficiency heat pump water heater uses about 1/3 of the energy, saving hundreds in utility bills. And, if you are income eligible you can buy one for as little as 15% of the regular price. Enroll in HeatSmart Tompkins today and ask that that they apply to Sustainable Tompkins on your behalf for the extra incentives.

​
Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.

In New York's competitive energy market you can choose your supplier of electricity instead of buying your electricity from your utility company. 

While your utility company will send you a list of over 100 ESCOs (Energy Supply Company) to choose from, they don't help you select one that offers 100% renewable electricity. 

For over two years Gerri Wiley, Energy Navigator and HeatSmart Volunteer has been providing a monthly chart to help you choose an ESCO that offers 100% renewable electricity. 

Wiley uses the following criteria to make her selections: 

• 100% renewable energy delivered to the grid
• Price per kWh is no higher than that of the ‘premiere company’ that meets all of the other criteria
• The company’s menu of choices includes either a 12 month plan (so that customers can make this choice an easy, calendar event) or a zero month plan (cancel any time without penalty).
• No substantive negative reviews

Take a look at this month's ESCO subscription options. 

Don't forget you can combine your 100% renewably electricity ESCO with a Community Solar subscription, and you guessed it, Wiley vets those for you too. Take a look at this month's Community Solar subscription recommendations.

HeatSmart Tompkins is partnering with four companies for 2020, a result of a competitive selection process. HeatSmart selection criteria include company experience, reputations, work quality, and a record of excellent customer service. 

The four companies are: 

• NP Environmental
• Halco
• Snug Planet
• Dailey Geothermal

On average, 75 percent of the energy use by homes in Tompkins County goes towards heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. Most of that comes from burning fossil fuels. Fortunately, the technology is now available to let homeowners increase their comfort, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and save money.

The HeatSmart Tompkins program is designed to make it easier for county residents to weatherproof their homes and switch to highly efficient heat pump systems by coordinating education, access to incentives, and a streamlined process to connect with vetted installers. 

Heat pumps draw heat from the ground or the outside air and transfer it to the interior of the home. They run on electricity and can be used for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Both ground-source and air-source heat pumps are effective at the low temperatures typical of this region.

​Please visit our partner installer profile page for more details on what each company offers. 

April 22 (Wednesday) 2:00-6:00 PM  -  Streaming Online - open to public

Between 3-4pm the HeatSmart Team will present a 5 minute program and "thrilling" video!
with Jonathan Comstock, Lisa Marshall, and Gerri Wiley

Over 30 local community organizations, artists, musicians and other performers will be live streaming their insights and activities with the theme of community, solidarity and action.
The HeatSmart Team will present an update on our new campaign, online resources, and a catchy video to bring it home! 

Watch it live at www.facebook.com/GetYourGreenBackTompkins/.

Or https://www.facebook.com/events/1010011166066452/

Find the program and performers at www.getyourgreenback.org/earth-day.​

By Gay Nicholson, Sustainable Tompkins

For a long time, there’s been a presumption that getting off fossil fuels was something only the wealthy could accomplish. But that is changing, and there are growing opportunities for lower-income residents to lead the way by making their homes zero carbon via air-source heat pump heating systems and signing up for solar electricity.

The mission of the Finger Lakes Climate Fund (FLCF) run by Sustainable Tompkins is to make sure that nobody is left behind in the transition to a clean energy economy. And one of the best ways to do that is to lower the cost barriers for access to high-efficiency equipment that can be run on renewable energy. The Climate Fund has been doing that since 2010 by giving grants to those who need help making energy improvements.

Together, donors to the Climate Fund have funded 32 awards worth more than $53,000 that will prevent almost 2,500 tons of CO2 from entering our atmosphere. Of course, the benefits to the grant recipients are multiple – safer, healthier, more comfortable homes with lower energy bills. Not to mention the green jobs that are supported locally by making the projects possible.
From 2019-2021, Sustainable Tompkins is partnering with HeatSmart Tompkins and NYSERDA to bring the positive benefits of heat pump technology to low-to-moderate-income (LMI) families throughout our community.

Over the past three years, the ultra-high efficiency of heat pump technology has been funded in over 70% of the Climate Fund grants awarded. But the upfront price of this technology still remains out of reach for many. A two-year grant from NYSERDA will provide funds to combine additional incentives for heat pumps with carbon offset grants to bring down the price and help dozens more families make their home energy clean, green and affordable.

Heat pumps operate just like a refrigerator – but in reverse. Instead of burning a fuel, they simply extract heat out of the air or ground and transfer it via a heat exchanger, where it is compressed to reach the desired temperature for heating a home or to make hot water.

This results in significant energy savings because there isn’t as much work to do to heat the air or water. As a result, a heat pump water heater uses only about one third as much energy for your hot shower. The savings just keep accumulating with each year. A big bonus is that heat pumps can also cool your house in the summer – just by operating in reverse, like your refrigerator.

While funding lasts, Sustainable Tompkins will be offering a substantial additional incentive of $2,000 per air-source heat pump system and $300 per heat pump water heater. This incentive will be combined with a carbon offset grant for the entire work scope of energy improvements being made on the home (such as insulation, air sealing, and replacement of existing equipment).

The size of the grant depends on the amount of carbon that will be kept out of the atmosphere by making the improvements but typically runs between $1,500 and $2,500. For those who are just in need of a new water heater, the carbon offset grant will be standardized at $200 – providing a total of $500 toward the price of a heat pump water heater.

Who qualifies for these incentives from Sustainable Tompkins? Anyone making 80% or less of the county median income for their household size.
How do you apply? Simply enroll at the HeatSmart Tompkins website where you can pick one of the certified contractors and ask that they apply on your behalf to Sustainable Tompkins for the extra incentives. You can also read about the other incentives that everyone gets from NYSERDA and from NYSEG on their site. Applicants from Tompkins County and the adjacent towns of the surrounding counties are invited to apply.

If your water heater is more than a few years old, and you are income qualified, the cost to you for having a heat pump water heater installed will be less than buying a fossil fuel model and having to install it yourself.

The air-source heat pumps are most cost-effective for lower-income residents when they are used to replace propane, fuel oil or electric resistance heating systems.

Sustainable Tompkins has already given out two incentive packages to households in the villages of Spencer and Trumansburg for new heat pump systems and insulation packages, and two more are in the works.

Ready to study up on heat pumps? There’s a wealth of information on the HeatSmart website about this evolving technology that is allowing New Yorkers to make their entire home clean, green, and affordable. Anyone with an aging water heater or a propane, fuel oil, or electric resistance heating system should enroll and get a free energy assessment of what can be done to make your home climate smart. Check it out at HeatSmartTompkins.org/climatefund.

If you have questions about the program that can’t be answered by a HeatSmart contractor, email Marisa@sustainabletompkins.org or leave her a message at 607-272-1720 to find out more.

​Gay Nicholson is the president of Sustainable Tompkins, where this article was first published in December of 2019. This is the latest installment of the Signs of Sustainability series produced by Sustainable Tompkins. For more information about the organization, visit their website at SustainableTompkins.org.

By Gerri Wiley, Energy Navigator and HeatSmart Volunteer

Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.

Hello Green Beings 

You’ll note no significant changes this month.
You may have been receiving this monthly update for quite some time now. Thus, you may be thinking, “Why would I want to continue to receive these updates when I’ve already made a decision on an ESCO and/or Subscription Community Solar plan?
-          If you now have a fixed term ESCO, it’s a good idea to learn what’s out there at the end of that term at which point it changes to a variable rate. If you have a variable term ESCO, it’s good to stayed tuned to what’s out there in the fixed term world (if anything), if for no other reason than to reassure yourself that you’re on the right track.
-          If you now subscribe to a Community Solar project, it’s a good idea to learn what’s out there so that you can share information with a friend and thus, increase the impact of your personal efforts.

I’m here for any and all energy questions you may have. If I don’t have an answer, we can learn together!

By Gerri Wiley, Energy Navigator and HeatSmart Volunteer

Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.

Happy February, Green Beings! 

Do you know people who’d like to help push renewables forward by subscribing to a community solar project and/or contracting with a renewable electricity ESCO, yet they’re stuck? Confused? Still receiving NYSEG’s fracked shale gas-dominant default plan?

In this post, I plan to accomplish the following:
1 - Clarify some points of confusion
2 - Tell you what is new in ESCO and Subscription Solar-land
3 - Ask for your assistance

So let’s not waste any time:

1 - Clarifications

Unless you have purchased your own solar panels on your property or someone else’s property, you are eligible to subscribe to a Community Solar project.

Everyone is eligible to contract with a 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO, whether or not they have purchased solar panels or subscribed to a Community Solar project. Any kilowatt-hours not covered by your solar panel allocation will be covered by your ESCO.

Your fixed rate ESCO will change to a variable rate at the end of the contract period.

It is a good idea to ‘go shopping’ ( i.e. review your ESCO options) annually, particularly before the end of a fixed contract. When you’re ready to do that, locate the most recent ESCO update under the Renewable Energy resource tab here on the HeatSmart Tompkins website. 

There are renewable options for churches and small businesses. Call me: 607-342-3159.

2a – What is NEW this month in ESCO-land?
Following the New York Public Service Commission’s December ESCO order, utilities and ESCOs have filed requests for extended time for compliance. In a few months, we should learn the outcome and which ESCOs are able to comply with the order and thus able to serve us. At this time, the sole surviving ESCO offering a 100% Renewable Electricity plan at a reasonable rate is Energy Cooperative of America (ECA).

2b – What is NEW this month on the Subscription Community Solar chart?
First, there are several new categories to help folks see how the various companies differ. Second, Solar Farms NY and Blue Rock Solar have been added. Why? Improved customer service plus the fact that DRS and Nexamp’s current projects are filled…Yes, you can still sign up for their next projects.

3 - Could I have your assistance please? Are you signed up with an ESCO or Subscription Solar project? If so, which one(s) and what has been your experience? If not, what is holding you back? Do you have questions? Concerns? May I help?

By Gerri Wiley, Energy Navigator and HeatSmart Volunteer

Happy December, Green Beings! 
Visit our Community Solar and 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO pages for the latest updates.

This month, let’s review why you, your family and friends, may wish to sign up for either or both options:
Why would you want to subscribe to a Community Solar Project?
1 - You’ll save money!
2 - You’ll green the grid.
3 - You’ll support local jobs.
What’s not to like here?!
For those who’ve purchased solar panels on your property or on a solar farm, that’s fantastic! Unfortunately, you can’t also subscribe to a community solar project as you electrify your home and car. However…do not fret! Consider a 100% renewable electricity ESCO to supplement your needs.
Why would you want to subscribe to a 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO?
1 - NYSEG’s default electricity purchase on our behalf consists of less than 19% renewables. The most recent NYGATS (New York Generation Attribution Tracking System) report, published November 22, 2019: 41% methane gas, 35% nuclear, 15% hydro, 4% coal, 3% wind, <1% solar, 1% other.
2 - During the shorter days of winter, your solar panels on your property or at a community solar project may not cover your entire electricity usage. Or perhaps you purchased solar panels before your electrified your heating system or purchased an electric vehicle and have insufficient space for additional solar panels to cover the increased electric usage. ESCO to the rescue!
3 - If you subscribe to a community solar project, your discount is off both NYSEG’s supply AND DELIVERY cost! If your electricity ESCO is included on your NYSEG bill, your community solar discount is applied to your ESCO.
4 - Yes, it personally feels good to go green, but NYSEG’s electricity sources have been essentially the same since 2006 LINK and unless we, the people, green the electricity grid, it’s not going to happen. Let’s do it!
Electricity ESCOs must meet the following criteria to appear on the chart:
-100% renewably-sourced electricity
-Produced in New York State, as documented by the most recent NYGATS report
-No substantive negative practices by the company
-12 month fixed rate or variable rate
-Fixed price (or 12 month average price for companies with variable rates) is less than one cent/kWh higher than NYSEG’s default 12 month average variable rate for its ‘traditional mix’
In summary, since I have my two front teeth, all I want for Christmas is for you to sign up for a 100% renewable electricity ESCO AND (if you have not purchased solar panels), subscribe to a Community Solar project. As Greta Thunberg would say, “Don’t listen to me…Listen to the science!”

Here's our October 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO and subscription Community Solar updates from HeatSmart Tompkins volunteer and Energy Navigator Gerri Wiley.

Take a look at the opportunities to select a 100% renewable electricity supplier at great rates. Note, not all ESCOs are 100% renewable, but these selections are.

​As a reminder, New Yorkers have had the opportunity to shop for their electricity supplier since the late 1990s. The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) started by ‘unbundling’ your energy bill, separating charges for delivering energy to your home from charges for the energy itself. 

What’s up this month? See updates: 
COMMUNITY SOLAR INFORMATION & LATEST CHART
RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY ESCO INFORMATION & LATEST CHART

In the ESCO world
The only change this month are the prices. The two strongest and lowest cost 100% Renewable Electricity Suppliers continue to be Energy Coop of America (ECA) and Clearview. Be sure to check the attached update for details so that you can acquire the correct plan at the lowest cost.
Reminder: ECA continues to offer a fixed low rate to organizations and commercial NYSEG customers, so let me know if you would like ECA to quote you a price for your organization or business.
​
In the Community Solar world
No changes at all this month. Delaware River Solar and Nexamp continue to lead the pack in terms of continued development and consumer discounts.

What’s new for the month? 
See September updates:
COMMUNITY SOLAR INFORMATION & LATEST CHART
RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY ESCO INFORMATION & LATEST CHART
 
​In the ESCO world
Clean Choice Energy, after several months ‘on probation’, is off the chart. Why?
It has priced itself out of the market. After 3 months with a cost (by phone) of 5.1 cent/kWh, it is now 9.2 cents/kWh! 

Note: Prices listed on the chart are quotes for new customers. If you now contract with Clean Choice Energy at a fixed rate, your rate won’t change. 

Reminder: ECA continues to offer a fixed low rate to organizations and commercial NYSEG customers. So contact Gerri if you would like ECA to quote you a price for your organization or business.

In the Community Solar world
Flyers, robocalls, and social media posts, oh my! Some Subscription Community solar companies are bombarding us with ads asking us to choose them as electricity supplier. I’ve been receiving countless requests for my thoughts on these companies. Let me simply say that if a company is not listed on the Subscription Community Solar chart, (just as with the ESCO chart) there is a reason. In the case of Solar Farms NY, it is the amount of discount off your NYSEG bill. The companies on the chart offer 10%. Solar Farms, NY offers 5%.

Reminder: Take a look at the bottom of the FAQ sheet. Know that you can save even more money than you can with subscription solar. How? By purchasing solar panels…either on your own property or on a solar company’s property. This month, ETM Solar Works is moving to stage II of its Five Star Storage rooftop community solar project in Johnson City and they are signing up customers now.

​All in all
As always, your feedback is a tremendous help to me. I have several ways to evaluate ESCOs and Community Solar companies and one of them is via your personal experience.

August 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO and Subscription Community Solar Updates from HeatSmart Tompkins volunteer Gerri Wiley:

Gerri asks that you share details of your experiences with ESCOs and community solar developers. Use our contact form to drop a line.

Note: Low, fixed ESCO rates are available to businesses and non-profits from Energy Cooperative of America, located in Amherst, NY. If you know of a business or non-profit organization wanting a fixed low 100% renewable energy rate, let Gerri know. 

HeatSmart Tompkins is excited to celebrate the launch of its Lansing program!
Please join us for a fun and informative afternoon.


When: Sunday, August 4th, 2019 | 3:00-6:00 pm

Where: Myers Park in Pavilion E, 1 Lansing Park Rd., Lansing, NY 14882

What: Spend an afternoon by the lake getting to know the HeatSmart coordinators and trusted installers, and enjoy the opportunity to familiarize yourself with special NYSERDA incentives currently offered to Lansing residents that make air and ground source heating so attractive and attainable.  Bring your friends and your neighbors to explore the possibilities of comfortable, cost-effective, and climate-friendly home heating and cooling. There will be tasty snacks, refreshments, and door prizes.

How Much? The Launch Party is FREE and you can enroll for a FREE home assessment too.

Let HeatSmart be your guide!

HeatSmart Tompkins, a non-profit community organization that advocates for greener and cheaper home heating and cooling systems, offers community education, home tours, access to vetted installers. and home assessments to help homeowners navigate these technologies.