StopWa$te Offers Free Assistance to Businesses

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Now, small businesses in Hacienda can receive free, expert advice on saving energy and reducing energy costs. It's happening through the StopWa$te program that offers assistance to businesses, institutions and government agencies to cut solid waste, conserve energy and water, and reduce wastewater discharge.

With new funding from Pacific Gas & Electric (PGE), StopWa$te Partnership has expanded its services to businesses and is offering free, targeted energy-conservation assistance.

The new program will provide in-depth expertise for businesses, says Justine Burt, program manager for StopWa$te Partnership at SAIC, a consulting firm that works with the program. "StopWa$te will be able to provide in-depth expertise for businesses about energy cost reduction and energy usage for lighting, air conditioning, heating, refrigeration and electric motors. Previously, we could give companies detailed and important information but, with this program, our in-depth assistance is expanded and more sophisticated."

Burt says that StopWa$te is working closely with Hacienda and providing outreach to let businesses know about the program's free consulting opportunities that can produce immediate financial benefits.

Burt says that this type of energy-reduction analysis service is very valuable. "PG&E has client representatives for large energy users, but smaller ones can go to StopWa$te for the same type of help. So, if your company has more than 75 employees, and a peak energy demand of less than 500 kw, the StopWa$te program will be valuable for your business."

It's a simple process. StopWa$te, working with PG&E, will provide an on-site assessment and evaluation of all the energy-consuming aspects of the business.

The Hacienda business will then receive a series of cost-effective recommendations designed to reduce power usage and save money based on the findings. In addition, there will be implementation assistance and, to follow up the entire process, assistance for the business in measuring the success of the new programs that are implemented. The energy conservation assistance program is available through January 2002.

Burt says that there are also some very nice incentives for businesses to help upgrade to energy-saving equipment, as PG&E rebates are available for purchasing and installing more efficient technologies.

Complete information about PG&E rebates is on the website, www.pge.com.

StopWa$te Partnership is a program of the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and Recycling Board. You can contact StopWaste and about working with your company to design a custom program that will fit your business needs. The program is non-regulatory and confidential.

For more information about the full range of StopWa$te Partnership programs, contact Rory Bakke, senior program manager, Alameda County Waste Management Authority and Recycling Board (950) 614-1699, rbakke@stopwaste.org or call 1-877-STOPWASTE or visit www.stopwaste.org/partnership. For information about the PGE& incentive program, contact Justine Burt, at the StopWa$te Partnership firm, SAIC at (510) 466-7146 or burtju@saic.com.

Also in this issue...