MN’s Conservation Improvement Program: 2022 CEE highlights
Minnesota’s Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) was created to help Minnesota residents, 公用事业公司, and businesses save money and energy in their natural gas and electricity use. Some of CIP’s benefits include improved awareness and adoption of energy efficient technologies, reduced energy costs for Minnesota households and businesses, 推迟昂贵的基础设施投资, 减少二氧化碳排放, 节约资源. 在过去的三十年里, CIP has been Minnesota’s most successful energy policy, producing nearly four dollars in energy savings for every dollar invested (Minnesota Department of Commerce).
In 2021, Minnesota passed the Energy Conservation and Optimization Act (ECO Act) as its next step on the path to energy efficiency and sustainability. ECO法案将更新和扩大CIP, including expanded funding and options for low-income households, increasing the types of qualified energy saving technologies through efficient fuel-switching, increasing investor-owned electric utility conservation goals, 和更多的. This is the final year that Minnesota utility programs will operate under CIP guidelines before the switch to ECO.
Let’s look back on the some of the important CIP-related work that CEE and our partners accomplished in 2022.
一站式效率店
这个程序 offers a full-service rebate program for small to midsize businesses in Xcel Energy’s Minnesota services territory, 重点是照明, 免费安装智能恒温器, 屋顶单元的改进. One-Stop provides practical solutions to energy efficiency challenges by addressing common barriers such as limited financial resources, 缺乏接触高质量承包商的机会, 还有时间限制. In 2022, One-Stop completed 1,621 projects including 907 smart thermostat installations, leading to 9的守恒.7兆瓦和38.4千兆瓦时的能量，以及5美元.500万美元的支付回扣和300万美元.7 million in annual savings for local businesses.
家庭能源小组
CEE delivers this service for Xcel Energy and CenterPoint, which pairs on-the-spot installations of energy-saving products with an energy assessment for greater home comfort and savings. 每次访问时, energy experts install upgrades like LED bulbs, 水龙头限, 智能恒温器. 家庭能源小组 completed over 5,500 visits in 2022 and helped save energy amounting to about 2.8千兆瓦时和2万分温. 另外, 多于1,000 residents used CEE’s free Energy Advisor service to complete energy efficiency projects and earn rebates.
多家庭节能计划
这个程序, 由明尼苏达能源公司提供, is designed to help multifamily building owners save energy through rebate incentives and direct installation of energy-saving products like high-efficiency showerheads and 水龙头限. 自成立以来，该计划已经 服务超过11,300个多户住宅单位, resulting in an average savings each year of $25 per unit on natural gas bills and an additional $25 per unit on electricity.
区域住宅能源计划
Among the offerings that CEE implements for Minnesota Energy Resources, 多于135 Rochester households attended Neighbor Energy Challenge workshops, a joint program of Minnesota Energy Resources and Rochester Public Utilities that connects residents to practical energy efficiency solutions and energy audits. 此外，中东欧工作人员也提供了服务 超过100个节能套件 to Minnesota Energy Resources customers at manufactured home parks in Mora, Rochester, and Rosemount.
授权绝缘承包商计划
这个程序 offers insulation and air sealing services in the region served by Minnesota Energy Resources. Participating contractors benefit from easy access to competitive utility-paid rebates. 2022年，该项目完成 19次现场质量保证检查. The program also performed four quality assurance inspections in the form of remote phone interviews, added seven new Authorized Insulation Contractor companies, and held two trainings for 13 people to become new Authorized Insulation Contractor crew leaders.
New 首页s Single-family and Multifamily Rater Services
这个程序 offers energy consulting and rater services to single-family new home builders and multifamily developers. 对于单户新住宅， the program performed a variety of energy ratings (HERS, 能源之星, and DOE Zero Energy Ready 首页s) for 128 homes and 15 builders. 适用于多户型开发商, the program completed work on seven buildings with five builders and six developers, and certified four affordable housing projects in 2022.
商用制冷效率
This Xcel Energy program focuses on small businesses with significant refrigeration loads, 喜欢的餐馆, 便利店, 酒类商店. The full-service program offers technical assistance and rebates to small business owners who are interested in upgrading existing refrigeration equipment to more efficient options. In 2022, the program helped connect customers to $7,000 in rebates and helped 30 businesses upgrade their equipment for a total first-year savings of approximately 100,000千瓦时.
Successful energy conservation requires thoughtful policies, 卓越的客户服务, and high-quality work by a well-trained workforce. We are proud to be part of the vast CIP network that delivers programs tailored to Minnesota’s diverse communities. CIP drives our mission to strengthen the economy while improving the environment.