Branford Wins 'Competitive' $45K Grant For Energy Efficiency Outreach

BRANFORD, CT — The town was recently awarded a $45,280 Energize Connecticut℠ Community Partnership Initiative grant to continue its energy efficiency program outreach to residential and small business customers through its active HeatSmart and Small Business Energy Partnership campaigns.

In an effort to make energy efficiency affordable and accessible to all, the Community Partnership Initiative grants enable local community groups, nonprofit organizations and municipalities to promote energy efficiency adoption and educate residents and businesses on the energy efficiency solutions available to them, according to a news release from the town.

This is the second round of funding the Community Partnership Initiative has awarded. In 2022, the Community Partnership Initiative funding supported efforts in Bethel, Branford, Hamden, Middletown, New London, Waterbury, West Hartford, and Wilton.

Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove was quoted as saying the town "fully supports community outreach."

"We strongly encourage residents and business owners to consider participating in these money- and energy-saving programs," Cosgrove said. "Energy efficiency is the best way to conserve, and it will help us reach our town and state energy goals.”

The grant awarded to Branford will specifically support outreach to encourage and drive participation in Home Energy Solutions—Income Eligible and Small Business Energy Advantage.

HeatSmart Branford connects residents with utility-authorized contractors who provide a Home Energy Solutions assessment and service, which is no-cost for qualifying income eligible customers.

Cosgrove said Branford "looks forward to building on the success of its first HeatSmart campaign in 2020, which was also the first statewide, by driving outreach to town residents who may qualify for Home Energy Solutions-Income Eligible.

“Programs like the Community Partnership Initiative makes energy efficiency more affordable and accessible to people in the communities we serve, and help work towards a greener economy in Connecticut,” Eversource Executive Vice President of Customer Experience and Energy Strategy Penni Conner said. “We’re proud of the continuous effort by our community partners to help customers lower their energy bills, while spreading awareness about the variety of energy
saving solutions that will help their small businesses and local organizations thrive.”

The Branford Clean Energy Committee is also coordinating Home Energy Solutions-Income Eligible outreach in the neighboring community of East Haven through a HeatSmart East Haven campaign.

Branford Food Pantry President Jaye Andrews lauded the program: “Having access to a program such as HeatSmart gives our Food Pantry population another avenue to pursue as they try to balance their already stretched budgets as well as helping them improve the energy efficiency of their homes—a benefit for the clients and the community as a whole.”

For commercial customers, Branford’s Small Business Energy Partnership connects small businesses using less than 1,250,000 kWh annually across all their properties with utility authorized contractors who perform no-cost, no- obligation energy assessments. Following the conclusion of the assessment, business owners will receive a customized recommendation that indicates how much energy and money could be saved through energy efficiency equipment
upgrades. Incentives to cover a portion of the installed cost, as well as zero-interest and low-cost on-bill financing are also available.

“Energy Efficiency helps customers improve the value of their homes and businesses, increase their comfort, and reduce their carbon footprint,” president and CEO of United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas, and Connecticut Natural Gas, Frank Reynolds, said. “With this Initiative’s second round of funding, we look forward to reaching businesses and homeowners with new opportunities for energy efficiency projects, and we celebrate the contribution they’re now making to Connecticut’s clean energy goals as we work to achieve a green economy.”

In 2022, Branford Clean Energy Committee member and SBEA chair Bob Babcock helped the Stony Creek Congregational Church with their energy efficiency upgrade project. The church received $12,000 in incentives from Eversource towards the $16,000 energy saving project through the Small Business Energy Advantage program.

“This is an example of how Branford businesses can improve their infrastructure, save money, and conserve energy," Babcock said. "Our partners at Artis and Eversource made the process easy and transparent.”

The town and Energize CT sponsors "strongly encourage residents and businesses to take the first step towards saving money and energy," town officials noted in a news release.

Residential customers can sign up today for HeatSmart Branford by visiting HeatSmartCT.org/Branford or calling New England Smart Energy at (203) 292-8088. For each completed Home Energy Solutions visit, New England Smart Energy Group and Home Comfort Practice will donate $25 to the Branford Food Pantry. Interested small businesses owners should contact Babcock at (203) 444-5047 to learn more about the Branford Small Business Energy Partnership. Interested businesses can also sign up at branfordcleanenergy.org.

For more information on the Community Partnership Initiative, please visit EnergizeCT.com.