Media Contact: Scott Reigstad (608) 458-3145
City given Shared Savings Award for energy conservation and being green
MADISON, WI – May 13, 2009 – The City of Fond du Lac Public Works Department has received a Shared Savings Award in recognition of significant achievement in energy efficiency and conservation at its new wastewater treatment plant. The award will be presented to the Department by Alliant Energy Strategic Account Manager Dave Krug at tonight’s city council meeting. Shared Savings is an award-winning business energy-efficiency program that the City of Fond du Lac Public Works Department participated in to save energy and benefit the environment.
“The City of Fond du Lac Public Works Department is very deserving of recognition for the steps it has taken to realize sustainable energy-savings within its operations,” said Chris Schoenherr, Alliant Energy Director of Sales and Strategic Accounts. “We are proud that they are committed to being a green organization and we are pleased to give them our Shared Savings Award.”
The Department utilized Shared Savings on a process improvement project at their new wastewater treatment plant that saved a significant amount of energy. The addition of new technology saved 1,939,694 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 188,140 therms of natural gas. In addition, the energy conservation actions positively impacted the environment by decreasing energy use and reducing emissions. The project removes the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions of 427 passenger vehicles from the road or saves enough energy to power 212 average-sized homes for one year.
“We are pleased to be recognized by Alliant Energy for our energy efficiency achievements at the wastewater treatment plant,” said Mark Lentz, City of Fond du Lac Public Works Director. “The improved process we are using at the plant is helping us save dollars for city taxpayers and is also showing a direct, ongoing benefit to the environment.”
As with any organization, cash is important and paying for the energy-efficiency measures takes upfront dollars before the long-term gains can be realized. That’s where Shared Savings stepped in to assist the Public Works Department.
The program is an initiative that assists industrial, commercial, governmental and agricultural customers with identification and implementation of energy efficiency projects – and invests the capital to finance them.
“I continue to work with Fond du Lac Public Works Department and the staff at the wastewater treatment plant and they are definitely committed to wise energy use and saving dollars on their energy costs,” added Krug. “The financing available through our Shared Savings program was a perfect fit for getting their project accomplished.”
The City of Fond du Lac Public Works Department is comprised of seven divisions which include Engineering and Traffic Division, Electrical Division, Park Division, Water Utility, Wastewater Treatment, City Garage, and Fleet Division. The Public Works Department and its individual divisions are responsible for street maintenance, street construction and reconstruction, water service, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, street lighting, terrace trees and city parks.
Through its Shared Savings program, Wisconsin Power and Light Company, an Alliant Energy company, has helped thousands of Wisconsin business, government and farm customers cut energy usage, save money and preserve precious natural resources for over 20 years. More than 2.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity have been saved over the last seven years with the program – that’s equal to the energy produced by a 280-megawatt power plant.
Business and farm customers interested in the low-cost financing available through WPL’s Shared Savings program are encouraged to visit http://www.alliantenergy.com/sharedsavings or call 1-866-ALLIANT (255-4268) for more information.
