Community Energy Challenge

The City of Evanston was selected as one of 11 municipalities to participate in the ComEd Community Energy Challenge (CEC), a pilot program designed to help municipalities develop and implement energy efficiency projects that reduce electric and natural gas use in their towns.

ComEd and the IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IL DCEO) have reserved a total of $2 million in electric energy efficiency incentives to help implement municipal energy plans. The incentives are not cash outlays or grants to the participating municipalities, rather, they are incentives available through the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard to increase electric energy efficiency in homes, businesses and public buildings.

As part of the City's participation in the challenge, over $360,000 was reserved for Evanston businesses and residents participating in ComEd's Smart Ideas program.

Municipal energy plans will be implemented between June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010. At the end of that period, the outcomes of the plans will be evaluated, and each plan will be ranked according to the projected electric energy savings and incorporation of sustainability principles in municipal operations. ComEd will award $100,000 cash (above and beyond the $2 million incentive commitment) to the municipality with the highest ranking energy plan.