Repost: Opportunities to Increase Small Business Engagement on Energy

In Minnesota, approximately 76% of people with jobs in clean energy are employed in the energy efficiency sector. Those workers manufacture energy efficient building materials and products like ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors. A large portion of energy efficiency workers are in construction and implement retrofits that help residential, commercial, and industrial customers save money on their energy bills.

Large commercial and industrial businesses generally have the capacity and resources to dedicate to energy efficiency retrofits. In contrast, small business owners typically have more limited time, and yet can require additional communication leading up to, or following, an energy audit in order to make strategic desicions regarding their energy efficiency opportunities and build a trusting relationship with their contractor.

That’s why CEEM joined the Twin Cities Small Business Energy Initiative to support a local solution, led by the Great Plains Institute and the Lake Street Council, based off of work happening nationwide called the Small Business Energy Initiative. Small and medium businesses “represent 90% of US businesses and consume about 20% of US energy, but they attract less than 4% of utility energy efficiency spending,” according to research from ACEEE and others. For many small business owners, the cost of utilities ranks as a top business concern making this Initiative is an excellent opportunity to increase implementation of energy efficiency projects.

Read about the program and approach undertaken by the Great Plains Institute, Lake Street Council and the Institute for Market Transformation here: https://www.betterenergy.org/blog/opportunities-to-increase-small-business-engagement-on-energy/