Community Corner
Nicor Gas provides Energy incentives to U.S. cheesemaker
Energy Efficiency incentives support Brewster Cheese's commitment to a lower carbon future
This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.
The Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program is recognizing Brewster Cheese, the largest producer of Swiss cheese in the U.S., for earning close to $400,000 in incentives to support the company’s Stockton, Illinois facility. These significant money and energy-saving improvements demonstrate the cheese manufacturer’s proactive approach to reducing production costs while contributing to a more sustainable future.
Since 2019, the family-owned business has worked with Nicor Gas to make major advancements in reducing its energy consumption, including the replacement and optimization of a whey solids production dryer that saved 400,000 therms annually, enough to provide energy to close to 300 homes for a year.
“With the expansion of their Illinois operations, we are proud to collaborate with Brewster Cheese to deliver efficiency solutions to help achieve their energy-saving goals,” said Mike King, director of Energy Efficiency Program Strategy and Solutions at Nicor Gas. “We have a shared clean energy goal to work towards a lower carbon future.”
Over the years, Brewster Cheese has worked with the Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program to secure rebates to assist with steam trap replacements, compressed air heat recovery projects, boiler tune-ups and more, resulting in a combined savings of over 600,000 therms at its Illinois facility.
“Sustainability and longevity are at the forefront of Brewster Cheese as we actively look for opportunities to grow our business,” said Katsy Leeman, CEO and owner of Brewster Cheese. “These principles paired well with the Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program, which identified equipment that would allow our operation to not only excel as a leader within the cheese and whey industries but also remain environmentally conscious.”
The Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program provides rebates, incentives, facility assessments and other energy-saving opportunities to support Brewster Cheese and other businesses within the service territory. To learn more, visit nicorgas.com/bizsavings.
About Nicor Gas
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), and serves 2.3 million customers in more than 650 communities across northern Illinois. Ranked as a Crain's 2024 Best Place to Work in Chicago and Most Trusted Utility Brand by Escalent, Nicor Gas is fueling customer choice, innovation, economic growth and a sustainable energy future. Nicor Gas is committed to a goal of net zero emissions from its operations by 2050, and we are working to keep bills as low as possible as we continue providing access to safe and reliable natural gas. For more information, visit nicorgas.com.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.4 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and more than 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.
About Brewster Cheese
Brewster Cheese, a woman-owned company headquartered in Brewster, Ohio, proudly marks its 60th year of delivering high-quality cheese products to consumers nationwide. As the largest producer of Swiss cheese in the United States, Brewster Cheese produces over 100 million pounds of award-winning, all-natural cheese each year. With three state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in Ohio, Illinois and Idaho, Brewster Cheese is also a leader in the production of whey and lactose powders. The company’s commitment to quality sets it apart with the use of premium ingredients and rigorous production processes that ensure consistency and excellence in every product. For more information, visit brewstercheese.com or follow us on social media to see how we #makeitswiss.
This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.