Austin Energy Leads Nation in Green Power

Austin Energy was named the nation's leader in voluntary renewable energy sales in 2009 for the eighth year in a row. More than 850 utility companies offer green power programs and have sold over 6 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy nationally. Austin Energy sold over 764 million kWh of renewable energy in 2009, which is enough electricity to supply the needs of about 60,000 residential customers for a year.

Commercial customers account for about 84% of Austin Energy GreenChoice purchases. There are currently about 480 commercial customers and 9,750 residential customers in the program.

The nation's Top 5 renewable energy providers are:
1. Austin Energy
2. Portland General Electric
3. PacifiCorp
4. Sacramento Municipal Utility District
5. Xcel Energy

For more information, visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and read Austin Energy's Press Release.

U.S. House Passes "Cash for Caulkers" Bill

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $6 billion bill to expand the "cash for caulkers" program which provides rebates to homeowners who make energy efficiency improvements. This Home Star Energy Retrofit Act will be a two-year program and provides rebates for air infiltration and duct sealing measures, adding insulation, replacing windows and upgrading to energy-efficient appliances. The program offers two maximum rebate levels, $3,000 and $8,000 depending on the home and types of improvements performed. Details on how homeowners and contractors can participate will be available in July once the program has launched.

For more information, you can read the entire bill.