ESCANABA - Small businesses in Delta County are encouraged to become more energy efficient by participating in a free energy audit of their facilities. The offer was presented during a seminar on energy conservation at city hall Wednesday.

A total of 30 small business energy audits are being funded through a grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC), announced Kevin Cook, consultant for Michigan GREEN (Group for a Renewable Energy Efficient Nation).

More than two dozen business people and other interested persons attended the meeting sponsored by the Delta County Joint Governmental Committee. Many signed up for the Delta Green Energy Audit program.

NORRISTOWN — The four public witnesses testifying Wednesday afternoon against a proposed 11.2 percent PECO Energy rate hike for natural gas distribution were largely outnumbered by the attorneys, public relations managers and an administrative law judge running the public input hearing at municipal hall.

The regional utility filed several supporting statements from financial experts arguing the $98.3 million rate hike was needed to offset a large decrease in operating income and numerous jumps in employee pay, pensions and health insurance.

Natural gas revenues have declined about 13 percent since 1992 as customers purchased more efficient gas appliances and heaters while heavily insulating their homes to further cut heating costs.

August 6, 2008

Global communications company Nokia wants to spread the word. It had dozens of offices and campuses around the world that used a ton of energy and in the process, released lots of greenhouse gases. In 2003, though, it set out to do something about it. It consolidated campuses and improved ventilation and lighting processes. Altogether, it says that its energy consumption has dropped 7 percent in five years.

Pressure is mounting on all businesses to cut their heat trapping emissions. It's particularly true of commercial buildings that are responsible for 38 percent of those releases. Awareness is growing. But confusion persists as to how to deal with the problem. The fact is that many enterprises can save money by implementing some sensible conservation features and by applying new operating procedures. Businesses can't control energy prices. But they can manage how much power they use.

August 4, 2008

It's counter-intuitive. But utilities must be rewarded for selling less electricity. It's all in the name of encouraging energy efficiency and reducing air pollution.

The idea is to separate utility rates from their sales volume. Such "decoupling" allows utilities to promote energy efficiency while still recouping their allowable expenses. Under traditional regulatory structures, utility earnings are tied to the volume of electricity and natural gas that customers use. So, even a small reduction in consumption can make a large cut into a utility's profitability. This presents a strong financial disincentive for those companies to push energy efficiency.