Sierra Nevada Energy Watch (SNEW), a nonprofit energy efficiency program, recently helped Amador County assess their energy usage and analyze the benefits of their solar project installed in 2021. Sierra Business Council administers SNEW, a program that provides local public agencies and businesses within Pacific Gas & Electric Company territory free energy efficiency consulting services designed to cut energy costs.
SNEW developed a building energy benchmarking report for Amador County to help the County better understand its energy usage. In this comprehensive report, SNEW provided a detailed analysis of energy usage at Amador County’s 10 main facilities (Main Library, Museum, Probation Office, District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Administration Center, Health and Human Services Building, General Services Building, Landfill, Animal Control Building, and Airport). The report was then used to determine where energy audits should be conducted, to find more ways for the County to reduce their energy usage and costs. SNEW also completed AB802 benchmarking for the County’s buildings, which is a state-wide requirement for California buildings over 50,000 square feet.
As part of these services, SNEW presented its findings to the Amador County Board of Supervisors. The presentation included an analysis of the County’s energy and cost savings from a recent solar installation.
Karen Warburton, Senior Administrative Analyst at Amador County, said about the program: “We recently collaborated with Sierra Nevada Energy Watch in Amador County to directly engage with a CivicSpark Fellow. Our experience was highly favorable and proved to be incredibly advantageous for the County and its residents. Through this partnership, we gained valuable insights into the optimal investments for our future endeavors, aiming to save costs and make a positive environmental impact, and there was no cost to us. I would recommend that anyone eligible connect with this program. There really is no downside.”
SNEW can serve both public agencies and small/medium businesses that reside within Pacific Gas & Electric Company territory (including Community Choice Aggregators – CCAs). Enrolling in the program’s free services can lower energy bills, save tax-payer dollars, improve comfort, alleviate staff capacity shortages, and become more resilient. SNEW also has expert knowledge of funding and financing opportunities that can substantially reduce the cost of energy efficiency upgrades.
Contact Sierra Nevada Energy Watch by emailing snew@sierrabusiness.org or calling (530) 582-4800 x605.
To learn more, visit the website www.sierraenergy.org.