Peter Boogaart: On-bill financing key to Holland’s home retrofits

Feb 3, 2015 | Clean Energy

Peter Boogaart knows exactly what he’ll do when he retires later this month. The longtime Holland-area resident is leaving the Ottawa County Community Action Agency after six years of helping low-income families tighten up their homes to cut their often budget-crushing energy bills. Now the 66-year-old home efficiency veteran will ramp up his already strong volunteer involvement in the Holland Community Energy Plan’s home efficiency retrofit project, which aims to cut gas and electric consumption of each of the city’s 7,000-plus homes by up to 50 percent over 40 years.

Holland’s Bright Energy Plan Starts to Roll

Jan 26, 2015 | Clean Energy

Holland, Michigan’s forward-looking Community Energy Plan is steadily gaining momentum and public support for transforming an old Lake Michigan port city into a world-class clean energy champion.

Holland Working on Community Energy Plan

Feb 4, 2014 | Clean Energy

Officials and dozens of residents in Holland, Mich., are working to implement a Community Energy Plan after the city began approving work groups for the effort in August 2012. The CEP, would, among many other things, expand the snowmelt district and channel waste heat to nearby commercial buildings. The 40-year strategy calls for cutting the community’s energy consumption by up to 60 percent and moving HBPW to cheaper, cleaner natural gas and non-polluting wind and solar power.

Traverse City Can Be A Leader

Sep 26, 2013 | Clean Energy

TCSaves showed that a well done, public-private, residential energy efficiency program can reach many homeowners, make them more comfortable and lower their utility bills, produce good-paying jobs, keep more cash in the local economy, increase home values, and make financial sense.

Energy Efficiency Pioneers: Who’s Leading the Charge?

May 29, 2013 | Clean Energy

Four different communities-in Virginia, Michigan, and Ontario-have reached the same conclusion: When it comes to making and using energy, it’s time to replace business-as-usual with breakthrough innovation. But each community is also traveling a somewhat different path to a better energy future. Here’s a look at three community energy plans in action.

Holland OKs Energy Work Groups, but Not Full Plan

Aug 7, 2012 | Clean Energy

Last month, the Holland City Council unanimously approved forming six “working groups” to begin implementing several parts of the Community Energy Plan. But most council members again declined to endorse the entire plan.