Energy4Business

Business Insider: How McCormick Got Its Electricity Use Down To Net Zero

Kelly Biemer — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:36:10 +0000

In a post on Business Insider, one of the fastest growing websites covering business news, Constellation customer, McCormick & Company, was interviewed to discuss how the company achieved net-zero electricity status for its 363,0000-square-foot distribution center in Belcamp, Maryland. McCormick's sustainable manufacturing manager, Jeff Blankman, explains that through energy conservation measures McCormick was able to reduce electricity usage at the facility by 55% over the past 5 years. With the addition of a 1.8-megawtt solar installation from Constellation, the facility was able to generate a surplus of more than 16,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a 1-year period. That's a significant accomplishment given that a meaningful achievement for many businesses is reducing its electricity costs by 10-20%.
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Options To More Effectively Manage Energy During The Summer Heat Pt. 1

Ben Chadwick — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:39:02 +0000

Summers can fill power consumers with dread as high temperatures and increased air conditioning usage lead to major increases in monthly bills. Our objective is to change that perception through innovative new power agreements that help customers view the volatility of the summer as an opportunity, not a burden. How do Constellation customers currently take advantage of these periods of high energy usage? We provide a snapshot below. How It Works: Lowering Consumption During “Conservation Hours” Fixed-price power rates have been the norm for most customers for decades. This is understandable – these customers like the budget certainty and simplicity that comes from knowing they will pay the same price for power regardless of when they consume it. Yet, there’s a huge disconnect between what the customer is paying during the peak hours of the summer and what it actually costs generators and suppliers to provide it. This disconnect is in part the reason why summer power demand and prices are so high: most customers have no economic motivation to use less power.
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Is Your Hotel Environmentally-Friendly Enough for Travelers?

Constellation — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:33:02 +0000

A recent article published by The Examiner explains how TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, recently announced a program that will help its community better understand which U.S. accommodations engage in “environmentally-friendly” practices.

Nick Nuttall, United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) spokesperson and director of communications, states that its research shows that more than a third of travelers favor “environmentally-friendly” tourism. Additionally, TripAdvisor’s TripBarometer survey, the world’s largest accommodation and traveler survey, reports that 79% of travelers place importance on properties implementing eco-friendly practices, and 85%of U.S. hoteliers indicate that they currently have green practices in place.

Is your hotel committed to “environmentally-friendly” practices? As a company that helps businesses meet environmental goals and reduce carbon emissions, we offer two recommendations to help lessen your load on the environment.
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New Small Business Electric Customers Now Eligible For A One-Time Bill Credit (Select States)

Constellation Communications Team — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 19:29:58 +0000

Managing energy expenses is no simple task, especially in today's economy. For small business owners, we understand how important it is to be able to take control of your energy budget.

For decades we have leveraged our experience, strength and resources to provide customers with comprehensive solutions, including a variety of pricing options for electric and natural gas options. To-date, more than 90,000 businesses across the U.S. have chosen Constellation to help them manage their energy costs, and now you can too. For a

The Electricity Choice Debate: Can Traditional Monopoly Regulation Be Justified?

John Domagalski — Thu, 30 May 2013 13:56:59 +0000

The debate over electric customer choice has been going on now since the mid-1980s. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a number of states began to allow customers to opt for competitively priced power from non-utility suppliers while continuing to use the delivery services of the traditionally regulated utility. Today, more than a dozen states accounting for more than 40% of all U.S. electricity consumption have some degree of customer choice. While large businesses were first movers, residential customers are now migrating
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U.S. Army Selects Constellation to Assist with Procuring Renewable Power Production

Louis J. Hutchinson III — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:24:37 +0000

In April 2012, the federal government announced that the Defense Department set a goal to deploy 3 gigawatts of renewable energy on Army, Navy and Air Force installations by 2025, which is one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history. The Army alone will be responsible for 1 gigawatt of that total; an amount of energy that could power 225,000 homes. To ensure that the Army could successfully procure renewable energy and meet its goal by 2025, Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) are in the process of being issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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Business Insider: How Having An Energy Strategy Can Give You An Edge Over Your Competitors

Kelly Biemer — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:41 +0000

In a post that went live on 5/21/13 on Business Insider, one of the fastest growing sites covering business news, Constellation’s senior vice president of energy management programs, Gary Fromer, covered some frequently asked questions from businesses regarding ways to become more energy efficient. Fromer explains that historically the relationship between energy provider and consumer was one-way and static. Competition in regional electricity markets has fostered considerable innovation and today many customers can enjoy a relationship with their energy company that is dynamic, data-driven and interactive. Competitive markets allow consumers to develop and implement a comprehensive energy strategy, choose the best products and prices and provide new online options manage energy costs and consumption.
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Support Retail Electric Choice in Michigan Now

David Fein — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:59:23 +0000

Retail electric competition is currently capped at 10%. Michigan customers that were able to choose a competitive supplier before hitting the arbitrary 10% cap are estimated to have saved over $350 million. Michigan customers unable to switch are now paying the highest prices in the Midwest, having increased by over 20% since 2008. Please consider taking a moment from your day to contact the Michigan House Energy and Technology committee members and tell them you want them to eliminate the cap on electric competition. They are currently reviewing
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Constellation to Supply Clean Energy for Owens Corning Facility

Kelly Biemer — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:27:52 +0000

We’re thrilled to announce the development of a 2.6-megawatt (DC) solar generation project that will supply clean energy to Owens Corning's thermal and acoustical insulation plant in Delmar, N.Y. The solar project is designed to supply more than 6 percent of the plant’s annual electricity demands and will support Owens Corning’s 2020 Environmental Footprint Goals for energy use and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar Project Details The solar system will be financed, built, owned and maintained by Constellation. Owens Corning will purchase the system’s electricity under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
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5 Ways Going Solar Can Bring Real Value

Michael D Smith — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:36:40 +0000

This past April, we completed solar generation projects that will respectively support 60% of the electricity needs for 5 Arizona schools and provide the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) with millions of kilowatt-hours (kWh) worth of electricity from solar generation, which helps meet UMMS’ sustainability goals. These are just two recent examples of public organizations that have taken the plunge into solar generation and are reaping real value from doing so. By structuring solar projects as solar service or power purchase agreements, we offer solar installations that require little to no upfront capital from customers and typically provide fixed power costs that are less than projected market rates. Outlined below are five ways that going solar can bring your organization and business real value.
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