SAN DIEGO, Oct. 23, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has signed contracts totaling $42.9 million that expand opportunities for its residential and business customers to save money and help the environment through energy efficiency.
The new programs are administered under contracts awarded by SDG&E through a competitive bidding process. The contracts provide funding through 2008 for the following innovative energy-efficiency programs:
-- Advanced Home Renovations Program: Conducts an "Extreme Energy Makeover" of an older home that will help educate customers on energy impacts of cost-effective renovations. -- San Diego Energy-Efficiency Education Program (E3): Provides an energy-efficiency education program for all schools within the SDG&E service territory. -- Time-of-Sale Energy-Efficiency Check-up: Educates realtors on the benefits of an energy-efficient home and trains home inspectors to perform the energy audit at the time of sale. -- Appliance Recycling: Makes available rebates to customers who recycle inefficient refrigerators, freezers and room air conditioners. -- Mobile Home Program: Provides a comprehensive set of energy-efficient measures to customers in manufactured and mobile homes. -- Business Energy Assessment Program: Offers business customers an interactive, online assessment to develop practical energy-efficiency recommendations. -- Industrial Energy-Efficiency Acceleration Program: Increases efficient use of large commercial and industrial customers by driving continuous improvement in energy efficiency. -- Sweetwater Schools Demonstration Program: Showcases and demonstrates innovative indirect/direct evaporative cooling systems and lighting systems. -- California Preschool Energy-Efficiency Program: Provides technical audits and implementation of comprehensive lighting, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration retrofits at preschools. -- Domestic Hot Water Control Program: Offers the installation of monitored hot water controls to hotels and motels. -- Mobile Energy Clinic Program: Focuses on improving energy efficiency for small-business customers by providing diagnostics and maintenance of HVAC equipment and small boiler tube cleaning and other improvements through energy audits. -- RCx Retrocommissioning Program: Recruits large customers to identify operational improvements, achieve energy savings and improve occupant comfort. -- Laundry Coin-Op Program: Offers an install/rebate program to replace inefficient gas and electric coin-operated washers in Laundromats, as well as offer hot- and cold-water pipe wrap, lighting and other measures. -- VeSM Advantage Plus: Provides energy-efficiency measures for large and mid-sized manufacturing companies through the improvement of production processes. -- HVAC Training, Installation and Maintenance: Provides training and incentives for contractors to install energy-efficiency HVAC units in grocery stores, restaurants, large single-story and small retail businesses, and homes. -- SUREFAST Program: Deploys, tests and commercializes the SUREFAST energy management system to monitor energy usage and conserve energy. -- Upstream HVAC/Motors Program: Increases the supply and stocking of HVAC units and motors for residential customers by providing incentives to manufacturers and distributors and suppliers. -- CHEERS New Construction Advanced Rating Program: Enhances the state-approved Title 24 compliance software to accurately demonstrate energy savings in SDG&E's new construction programs.
"We want everyone to reap the benefits of energy efficiency, and our new energy-efficiency contracts will help our campaign reach a broader range of customers," said Mark Gaines, SDG&E's director of customer programs.
SDG&E's energy-efficiency campaign has a three-year goal of saving about 121.1 million kilowatt hours equivalent to the energy consumed by 242,2000 residential customers for one month or 20,183 residential customers for one year.
For a description of SDG&E's energy-efficiency programs, visit sdge.com/thirdparty or contact SDG&E's Energy Information Center at (800) 644-6133.
San Diego Gas & Electric is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 825,000 natural gas meters. Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region's quality of life. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. To learn more, go to www.sdge.com.