Consumers Energy Funds Energy Savings Plans

Jackson-based Consumers Energy said Wednesday it had awarded $11.3 million in incentives in 2010 to help 2,450 Michigan commercial and industrial customers complete projects to become more energy efficient.

In the first full year of the program, Consumers Energy's Business Solutions program exceeded savings goals set by the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act of 2008 by 17 percent.

Statewide, these projects are saving the participating customers an estimated $15.4 million per year in energy costs annually. In addition, they are saving 124.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and more than 322,000 thousand cubic feet of natural gas annually. That's enough energy to serve about 14,650 residential electric customers and about 3,350 residential natural gas customers.

"We've seen an enthusiastic response from our commercial and industrial customers to our energy efficiency incentives through our Business Solutions program," said David Johnson, director of business customer management at Consumers Energy. "One goal of the 2008 state energy law was for electric and natural gas providers to make it attractive for companies to invest in energy efficiency. That helps those companies' bottom lines with lower energy bills each month."

Since the energy efficiency program was launched in July 2009, Consumers Energy has distributed $17 million in incentive rebate checks. The utility projects this year it will distribute more than $36 million in energy efficiency incentives to business customers.  The utility also has an energy efficiency program and incentives for residential customers.

Customers may learn more about energy efficiency programs and how to apply for project incentives by visiting www.consumersenergy.com.

Commercial and industrial customers that agreed to have their incentives publicized:

Benzie County
* Benzie Central Schools, Benzonia: $55,695 to install efficient lighting system, saving 882,900 kWh annually.

Muskegon County
* Brunswick Bowling & Billiards, Muskegon: $42,670.25 for efficient lighting, saving 507,166 kWh annually.
* Muskegon Public Schools, Muskegon: $155,253.06 for 12 energy saving projects, saving 2,146,299 kWh annually.

Mecosta County
* Chippewa Hills School District, Remus: $48,084.90 to upgrade lighting and replace boiler, saving 596,813 kWh and 327 Mcf annually.

Montcalm County
* Parker Hannifin Brass Division, Lakeview: $9,047.50 to install energy efficient lighting fixtures, saving 107,000 kWh annually.

Midland County
* Huhtamaki Inc., Coleman: $83,280.74 for lighting upgrades and VFD retrofits, saving 1,343,545 kWh annually.

Kent County
* Caledonia Community School, Caledonia: $71,910.53 for heating system and lighting upgrades, saving 384,965 kWh and 3,154 Mcf.
* Spectrum Health Hospitals, Grand Rapids: $54,720 for a new chiller, saving 227,750 kWh annually.
* Hearthside Food Solutions, Grand Rapids: $57,163 to install efficient lighting, saving 679,432 kWh annually.
* JW Marriott, Grand Rapids: $29,760 to upgrade lighting, saving 19,801 kWh annually.
* Land & Co., Wyoming: $22,974 to install efficient lighting, saving of 273,062 kWh annually.
* Concept Industries, Grand Rapids: $21,286.56 to install efficient lighting, saving 216,598 kWh annually.
* Corvac Composites, LLC, Byron Center: $9,433.95 to install efficient lighting, saving 134,909 kWh annually.

Allegan County
* Preferred Plastics, Plainwell: $30,061.50 for lighting upgrades, saving 85,890 kWh annually.

Barry County
* Thornapple Kellogg Schools, Middleville: $37,562.45 for efficient lighting system improvements, saving 400,000 kWh annually.

Kalamazoo County
* City of Portage, Portage: $13,475 for new lighting fixtures and occupancy sensors, saving 60,909 kWh annually.
* Continental Linen, Kalamazoo: $4,261 for new lighting fixtures and lighting system improvements, savings 53,350 kWh annually.
* Stan Ouding Bedding Plants, Kalamazoo: $2,920 for new lighting fixtures and lighting system improvements, saving 34,836 kWh annually.
* Benteler Automotive, Inc., Galesburg: $152,112.64 for an energy management system and VFDs, saving 1,300,000 kWh and 20,080 Mcf annually.

Calhoun County
* Post Foods, LLC, Battle Creek: $20,254 to install efficient lighting system, saving 225,000 kWh annually.
* Duncan Aviation Inc., Battle Creek: $8,531 to install energy efficient hangar lighting, saving 186,000 kWh annually.
* Albion College, Albion: $34,980 to upgrade lighting, saving 435,900 kWh annually.

Jackson County
* Allegiance Health, Jackson: $98,751.75 to upgrade lighting systems and HVAC systems, savings 450,000 kWh and 605 Mcf annually.
* Jackson Public Schools, Jackson: $23,309.42 for lighting upgrades and sensors and controls, saving 205,291 kWh annually.

Hillsdale County
* C. Raker and Sons, Inc., Litchfield: $17,303.75 for lighting and boiler system upgrades, saving 441,576 kWh annually.

Adrian County
* Tecumseh Public Schools, Tecumseh: $3,150 for various projects, saving 33,000 kWh annually.
* L & W Engineering, Blissfield: $58,800 to install efficient lighting, saving 698,880 kWh annually.

Eaton County
* 21st Century Plastics Inc., Potterville: $14,347 to upgrade lighting, saving 170,626 kWh annually.

Ingham County
* RSDC of Michigan, Holt: $63,230.30 to upgrade lighting, saving 751,748 kWh annually.

Shiawassee County
* Woodard, Inc., Owosso: $18,253.20 to install efficient lighting, saving 216,952 kWh annually.

Genesee County
* General Motors Flint Powertrain Operations, Flint: $97,301 to install efficient lighting, saving 1,156,500 kWh annually.
* Genesee Valley Center, Flint: $34,068.15 to install gas-demand control ventilation and VFDs on their HVAC system, saving 595,435 kWh and 2,712 Mcf annually.
* General Motors Flint Metal Center: $11,440 to install a local heating system for an office building, saving 2,288 Mcf annually.
* University of Michigan-Flint: $10,800 to make its HVAC system more efficient, saving 219,420 kWh annually.
* Flint Institute of Music, Flint: $5,447.52 to install lighting occupancy sensors, savings 66,822 kWh annually.
* Genesee Valley Center, Flint: $2,968 to install efficient lighting, saving 16,160 kWh annually.
* Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools, Flint: $52,769.90 for lighting upgrades, HID replacements, boiler replacements, and installation of a pool cover, saving 411,058 kWh and 1,725 Mcf annually.
* Linden Community Schools, Linden: $42,150 for boiler replacements, saving 2,714 Mcf annually.

Bay County
* Michigan Sugar Co., Bay City: $25,000 for preheating boiler combustion air, saving 5,593 Mcf annually.

Oakland County
* Holly Area Schools, Holly: $3,290 to install efficient lighting in the Sherman Middle School gymnasium, saving 39,104 kWh annually.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE:  CMS), provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information regarding Consumers Energy, access our website at www.consumersenergy.com