Community Impact: Energy Technical Assistance at RISE Ltd.
With the addition of a full-time staff member, the Clayton County Energy District (CCED) has dedicated time and resources toward revitalizing their energy coaching and auditing (technical assistance) program. Energy coaching involves a first step conversation with home or business owners to identify goals for energy burden reduction and build a plan for identifying energy loss. A full energy audit utilizes various techniques to test a building envelope and pinpoint sources of energy inefficiencies. Utilizing grant funds, the CCED has provided technical assistance services in the past including in May of 2022 when they facilitated an energy audit at RISE Ltd. in Elkader.
RISE Ltd. is a non-profit organization providing services to encourage independence for individuals with intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses, brain injuries, and other developmental disabilities. Since the late 1970s RISE programs have reached countless individuals in Clayton County communities. The organization maintains several residential buildings around the county (and beyond) and hosts day program activities in their Elkader office location. The wide range of programs providing different levels of care have created new opportunities for independence, tailored to individual needs and abilities.
The CCED report, released in June 2022, recommended both simple efficiency upgrades, such as LED lighting and insulation improvements, and the installation of a solar system. Following the session, RISE installed LEDs in their office location in fall of 2022. This simple upgrade was projected to save $5,000 in energy costs over the life of the bulbs. RISE also hired a Northeast Iowa contractor to install solar in 2023. Their system officially started producing electricity in November of 2023. Immediately after activation their electricity bills were nearly cut in half. By summer of 2024, their bill went from over $900 per month to just over $20.
“This is a substantial cost savings for us, and as a nonprofit, any cost savings we have can be applied to our program activities that support our mission.” – Jessie Pensel, Executive Director of RISE
As a result of the CCED partnership, RISE is also applying for an Inflation Reduction Act direct payment which will cover $23,000 of their solar project costs. This reduces their system payoff period to 6 years and increases their return on investment to $175,000 over the life of the system! Instead of leaving the community, those energy dollars are staying right here in Clayton County to expand program offerings at RISE. The CCED has already secured partial funding to revitalize the energy technical assistance program to make more stories like RISE Ltd. a reality.