At 180 years old, serving over three million customers, Con Edison is definitely one of the Big Dogs. ConEdison Solutions, a subsidiary, focuses on power supply, energy efficiency, and greener solutions for businesses, residential, and government customers. VP James Dixon is currently Vice Chairman of the National Association of Energy Services Companies (NAESCO) which is the leading energy services industry trade organization that promotes energy efficiency nation-wide with over 70 member companies. He's an electrical engineer, a lawyer, and a retired Army man.
Has ConEdison Solutions been seeing strong consumer and business interest in the “Green Power” option?
Yes, we have seen a steady increase in our green power customer base in the past few years, and in 2008 we saw a 40 percent increase in the number of customers buying green power.
Do you sense a strengthening of the government’s commitment to energy efficiency?
Yes, especially as the downturn in the economy has placed greater emphasis on saving money and creating jobs through energy efficiency. While the government has always been focused on energy efficiency, the Stimulus Bill and the recent reauthorization of the Federal ESPC – energy savings performance contracting – contract vehicles in both the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy have magnified the focus on producing energy savings.
Are “end-to-end,” comprehensive energy solutions for businesses feasible in the current economy?
Certainly. Businesses should be taking a two-pronged approach to energy solutions. The availability of alternative energy providers in many states can offer options for buying energy that may save money, and the advances in technology and the availability of efficient equipment for all types of operations make upgrading equipment a smart and easy way to save energy and money. Incentives may be available from utilities or state government to make efficiency investments even more attractive.
What are the key steps that a business or government entity needs to take to achieve “end-to-end, comprehensive energy solutions?”
The first step is to secure top-down commitment to an energy efficiency plan. Once that is completed, identify an energy services company (ESCO) that can offer solutions for both sides of the energy equation -- the energy supply and the energy efficiency expertise. This will guarantee that your organization is maximizing the value of both avenues for energy and cost saving. The second step is to examine the recommendations carefully with the experts at the ESCO to determine the best plan for you. The final step is to educate your staff about the approaches and projects you plan to undertake so that everyone is engaged in the process and contributing to the solution.
How far are we from a tipping point where “green” becomes the standard?
“Green” has already become the standard when referring to energy-efficient equipment. For example, Energy Star labeled-equipment now comes in the form of lighting, refrigerators, air conditioners and the like. It began 10 or 15 years ago in the computer industry and is now the gold standard for many types of equipment.
As for green power, wind and solar and other environmentally neutral sources of power are really just beginning to be a meaningful part of the power portfolio in the US. Today these sources represent just a small percentage of the power across the country. The next few years should see continued interest in clean power and may result in movement toward green energy becoming a more significant percentage of overall power use.
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