 In our final webinar of the June “Lunchtime Installer Series,” HeatSmart Tompkins invited one of our installer partners, NP Environmental, to talk with our community about important considerations to make when deciding if heat pumps are right for their home. The decision to install heat pumps as a fossil fuel alternative can seem daunting. Still, Nick Pryputniewicz, co-founder of NP Environmental and a founding member of the New York Geothermal Energy Organization, passionately believes that “Heat Pumps are for Everyone!” Nick laid out the following as points of priority for most homeowners and future heat pump users:
Not all of these questions will be able to be answered alone. It is never a wrong time to enroll with our program and begin getting home assessments by any or all four of our installer partners (NP Environmental, Halco Energy, Snug Planet, and Dailey Geothermal). You can enroll at the button below and have your home checked out on site or in person so that all of the important questions outlined here can be fully answered. Also in this webinar, Nick presented three separate projects he has worked on that, after prioritizing these areas of focus, decided on some unexpected systems that they love! You can watch the full webinar at this link. You can find our other webinars, virtual home tours, and informational videos on our video page.
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“Cold-Climate Heat Pump Dos & Don’ts”: Presentation by Jon Harrod, President of Snug Planet7/7/2020  Part of HeatSmart Tompkins’ mission is to inform and educate the community about the benefits of energy-efficient, heat pump technology – an objective that Jon Harrod, President of Snug Planet, also values. Jon presented an excellent webinar for our “Lunchtime Installer Series” recently, in which he shared best practices for installation and operation of cold-climate air-source heat pumps. Jon discussed the importance of customer education – beginning during sales and the design process and continuing through installation and service. This process ensures that realistic expectations are created, basic operation and best practices for the system are explained, and maintenance and service needs for the future are understood. We’ve highlighted some of the points that Jon hit below. Benefits of Cold-Climate Air-Source Heat Pumps:
The following is a summary of Jon’s list of Dos and Don’ts for your cold-climate ASHP installers to ensure that these systems work effectively with proper temperature control, efficient operation, long lifespan and durability, no excessive noise from the system, and genuine customer satisfaction.
 Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.
A short message from HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator Gerri Wiley: When considering New York State’s 10-year goals of 70% renewable electricity and 40% reduction of greenhouse gases, the task is simply too large without us—we, the people--joining together and pledging to reduce our energy use—and then doing it. End of rant. Right now, mask-free, we are able to sign up for Subscription Community Solar (if we don’t own our own panels) AND sign up for a 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO (whether or not we own our own solar panels). We can do this if we own a home, a business, or if we rent, assuming we pay our own electricity bill. By taking one or both of these steps, we collectively green the grid. The big ship of government doesn’t get us there fast enough. It’s OUR job to green the grid. July’s charts for both of these actions are here Subscription Community Solar update and here 100% Renewable Electricity update. . Please share this information with family and friends.  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.
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:
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. Starting this week, the Pause has been partially lifted in Central NY and the Southern Tier. Building energy efficiency businesses are ready to serve your home needs. You can have Home Assessments done either on-site or remotely. Work can again proceed. Get started by enrolling online, attend an upcoming webinar, or revisit our recorded webinars.
HeatSmart Tompkins and our participating installers are all committed to keeping you safe while allowing life to resume. Remote assessments are available for those who prefer them. When work is done on your home, it is easy to maintain social distancing from work crews. All our installers have trained their employees in strong safety protocols including face masks, hand sanitizing, wiping down surfaces when they leave and more. So please move forward with plans to make your home a more comfortable, healthier and economical place to live  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:
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: 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 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! Thinking back to last month’s update, who would have guessed we’d be navigating these rough waves of uncertainty? At times like this, it is good to know that our renewably-powered kilowatt-hours continue to clean up the electricity grid if we sign up for Subscription Community Solar and/or a 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO plan. Let the wild grid cleaning go forth! Your April updates are linked above. Please share them with your friends and family. I am here to answer any questions you may have and receive feedback on your electricity plan experience. As a community organization, our first thought in these challenging times is for the health and safety of our families, our friends, and the community. We hope that you are well and coping with all the upheaval caused by the novel coronavirus. If you're experiencing difficulty with your home heating system during this time, don't hesitate to call on us!
If the COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us anything, it is the importance of planning for the future. Resilient, interdependent communities are what we are striving to build here in Tompkins County and the surrounding region. Ensuring the comfort, efficiency, and affordability of our home energy systems is part of that planning. In April, we will launch our Spring/Summer 2020 HeatSmart Campaign, beginning with a webinar on April 16. We are thinking through how to best stay connected and support you while complying with the recommended social distancing. We are in communication with our installer partners and have been assured that they are being conscientious about health and safety protocols for their staff and their customers. Webinars, virtual home tours, and videos are being planned in lieu of in-person meetings for at least the next 8 weeks. We have new information which we look forward to sharing with you! Warm wishes from our homes to yours, Brian, Jonathan, and Lisa P.S. In this rapidly changing environment, we are relying on the internet to stay connected. Check our website for the most up-to-date information. Please sign up for our first webinar here.  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!  Exciting news from Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton - UUCB: They just voted to install #Geothermal heating in their church!
 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
Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update. Happy 2020, Visionaries! Holy Steamed Green Beings…this past month sure has been a ride! What's new? SUBSCRIPTION COMMUNITY SOLAR Folks are signing up right and left for Subscription Community Solar. I guess they’re finally realizing that there’s no catch…You really do save money while supporting solar electricity. The two best companies in terms of solid track record and percent discount off your NYSEG supply and distribution rate continue to be Delaware River Solar and Nexamp. This is the perfect time to sign up in order to reap the solar benefits in late spring or summer when the next solar farms ‘go live’. Several people have asked me about credit checks and also about paper billing, so because the two companies differ in these two respects, I’ve added rows to the chart, noting those differences. 1) Credit Score: Basically, if your credit score is low and/or you don’t tend to pay your utility bill on time, you’ll want to go with Nexamp, which does not require a credit check. Delaware River Solar does a ‘soft credit check’, meaning that if your credit score is low, they’ll check your bill paying record. 2) Paper Billing: If you need or want paper billing, you’ll want to choose Nexamp. DRS’s billing is online only. DRS and Nexamp are both fine solar subscription companies. Keep me informed if you have experiences that agree or disagree with my analysis. I depend on you for this! ESCO MADNESS All hell has broken loose in New York State’s ESCO market since the Public Service Commission’s ESCO order was issued December 12, 2019. In a multi-year effort to whip ESCOs into shape, the PSC has shaken ESCO-land and it will take a while until the dust settles. The playbook has changed and ESCOs must now toe the line and meet at least one of these three criteria. They must offer:
To ensure transparency, an on-bill price comparison between the utility and ESCO will be required. The details abound, but these are the main gotchas for ESCOs to operate in New York State. During the ESCO shakedown, I predict that the ESCO list will become much shorter, but hopefully the 100% renewable ESCOs will survive or better yet…thrive. I’m sorry to say I needed to remove Clearview Energy this month while they are “working on new plan rates and have no online plans available in New York at this time. Plans will be available in the near future.” Please read my notes on the attached ESCO sheet now left with JUST ONE remaining 100% renewable ESCO for now! ECA has done a great job keeping its renewable, variable-rate plan's cost low, with a 12-month average of just 4.80 cents/kWh.  Is the weather outside frightful? HeatSmart can make it delightful! If you have already enjoyed participating in HeatSmart, please be our ambassador and tell your friends and acquaintances. If not, then act before the enrollment deadline of December 15th to claim a free assessment of the benefits of heating and cooling smart in your home. This is a gift to the whole family!
There are some fantastic incentives available to upgrade your home’s comfort and economy, but act now! Some of them expire in 2019. To learn how you can benefit, enroll now for a free assessment of your home’s ability to keep you extra comfortable while saving money heating in the winter and staying cool in the summer. With no commitments or fees, you will get a thorough look at the heating status of your home and what improvements might make the most sense for you. Insulation and air-sealing can often be the place to start. Let a professional trained in building science tell you what they see. How much heat and money is being lost for no good reason? How can many comfort issues related to uneven temperatures be easily solved? Did we mention that this assessment is free? In some good news we are thrilled to announce our partnership with Sustainable Tompkins and their Finger Lakes Climate Fund to provide new incentives for lower-income residents. The low-income opportunities do not expire on December 15th, but there is a limited funding to support them so act now! See our website for climate fund details. Want to know more? We have lots of great resources for you on the site: Enrollment Fact Sheets Testimonials Or contact the HeatSmart Team directly: Jonathan Comstock HeatSmart Program Director jonathan@solartompkins.org Cell: (607) 351-1752 Lisa Marshall HeatSmart Lansing Outreach Coordinator lisa@heatsmarttompkins.org Cell: (850) 291-5259  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 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!”  By Gerri Wiley, Energy Navigator, HeatSmart Volunteer
This Fall, Cornell Cooperative Extension, HeatSmart Tompkins, HeatSmart Southern Tier, Delaware River Solar (DRS) and ETM Solar have co-sponsored a very informative event, called “Be Empowered”, held in three counties thus far: Broome, Tioga, and Chemung, with a fourth coming up in Chenango County on November 13th at Guernsey Memorial Library in Norwich from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. If you live nearby, come on out! The central message is that we can:
Want to start the process with a Home Performance Assessment? For most residents, this is free and so informative in finding areas of your home that are tossing your hard-earned dollars into your attic and the outdoors! Just let me know and one of the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Energy Navigators will assist you in signing up. To learn about Heat Pump Systems, if you live in: - Tompkins or Chemung Counties, visit www.heatsmarttompkins.org and call 607-351-1752. - Tioga, Broome, Chenango, or Delaware Counties, visit www.heatsmartsoutherntier.org and/or call 607- 873-9220. To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.  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.  A recent HeatSmart home tour featured this renovated cottage that has an air source heat pump with ductless mini-splits. The whole-home heating and cooling system requires no ducts or radiators. By Dan Veaner for the Lansing Star
The focus is on Lansing as HeatSmart continues to hold events to talk about heat pump technology and special incentives available in Lansing because of the NYSEG moratorium on new natural gas capacity. HeatSmart Lansing Coordinator Lisa Marshall and HeatSmart Tompkins Program Director Jonathan Comstock were in the Village of Lansing Monday to tell the Village Trustees about the program and enlist their help in getting the word out to their constituents. "There are two areas in New York where there are declared gas moratoriums, and there may be other areas, soon," Marshall said. "To address the gas moratorium New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) put together a clean energy action plan to provide relief to businesses and residents affected by the NYSEG gas moratorium. Part of that action plan is extra money for HeatSmart." Continue reading  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.  By Dan Veaner for the Lansing Star The bad news is that NYSEG imposed a moratorium on new natural gas customers for the Town and Village of Lansing. The good news is that New York State has special incentives for Lansing residents who choose to convert to heat pumps this year. HeatSmart Board Chair Brian Eden joined HeatSmart Tompkins Program Director Jonathan Comstock and HeatSmart Lansing Coordinator Lisa Marshall to host a launch party for this year's initiative that has a special focus on Lansing. All eyes are on Lansing and Westchester County, which is also subject to a natural gas moratorium, to see how successful the communities will be at embracing the cleaner heat pump technology, and their ability to attract businesses despite natural gas being largely off the table. At the same time the Tompkins County HeatSmart initiative is serving as a model to expand the grass roots approach to promoting clean energy all over New York State. "We saw the example that HeatSmart Tompkins initiated a few years ago," said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Heating and Cooling Group Program Manager Scott Smith. "It was my idea to replicate it around New York State. As of a week ago we have 15 communities in New York, including Tompkins County, that are doing HeatSmart campaigns. We're very grateful to the HeatSmart team, to Brian and Jonathan for getting it all started. I'm here at the HeatSmart Lansing launch today because as increased funding is part of the clean energy action plan NYSERDA doubled down on its investment in HeatSmart Tompkins specifically to focus on the Lansing area because of the gas moratorium." Continue Reading Photos from the August 4 Lansing Launch Event at Myers Park |
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