Appalachian Electric Cooperative’s Greg Williams Invited to White House

Appalachian Electric Cooperative’s Greg Williams was one of 30 electric cooperative General Managers invited to the White House on July 24 to discuss progress on energy efficiency initiatives and efforts related to renewable energy development.

Officials from the White House Rural Council and the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service facilitated the discussion, which was designed to identify and address barriers to implementing the federal government’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan (EECLP) program.

“We had a productive conversation that will no doubt serve to make it easier for cooperatives to establish administrative structures that must be in place to take advantage of this important funding source,” says Williams. “That’s vital, because this program has the potential to really make a positive difference for our members, as well as for members of Co-ops from around the country.”

The focus of the EECLP initiative is to provide financing to Co-op’s and in turn, to their members, interested in improving the energy efficiency of their homes (and increasing their property value) by upgrading HVAC systems, adding insulation, replacing windows and doors, etc. In particular, folks who may have been unable to obtain financing through traditional avenues will benefit from this new funding source. Utilities nationwide are recognizing efficiency as a key component in a broader strategy to meet the challenges of growing demand for electricity and rising costs.

“I consider it my duty to carefully evaluate any tool, approach, or program that has the potential to bring advantages to our members,” says Williams, “and that’s a responsibility I take very seriously. I have been actively involved with pursuing this funding source for almost 2 years and it’s great to see that things are moving forward in a positive direction. We anticipate being able to access EECLP funds for the benefit of AEC members through on-bill financing sometime in 2016.”

The meeting, which included representatives from five branches of the federal government, also addressed the need to find ways to broaden the adoption of renewable energy technologies that make sense for rural communities served by electric cooperatives.

“AEC is actively exploring the possibilities of offering community solar as an option for Co-op members who want to support the use of renewable energy,” says Williams. “This concept would allow folks to obtain all the benefits of solar technology without having to install infrastructure on their property or assume the associated operation and maintenance costs. It’s all part of a larger and continuing effort to be on the lookout for new ways to add value to the lives of our members.”

Williams says he appreciated the opportunity to meet with the group and also with his counterparts from around the country: “We want AEC to be a leader when it comes to leveraging renewable resources and efficiency measures that will positively impact our members. It’s exciting to think of what all this will mean for the Cooperative and for those we serve.”