Energy Efficiency Assistance for Low-Income Households

Cutting Your Home’s Energy Bill is Just a Call or Click Away

The Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, in partnership with Connecticut Light & Power, The United Illuminating Company, Yankee Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas, supports the Home Energy Solutions (HES) program. The HES program provides you, the homeowner or renter, with an energy assessment performed by a utility-authorized contractor. The contractor visits your home and makes on-the-spot improvements, including caulking and sealing of critical air leaks and provides exclusive money-saving rebates on appliances, heating and cooling systems and more. A modest fee is collected at the time of service and your income may be eligible for a free energy assessment. The HES program includes:

Home Energy Solutions – Core Services (HES) – An innovative solution to reducing your home’s energy bills through a variety of energy efficiency measures performed by your utility’s authorized contractor.

Home Energy Solutions – Income Eligible (HES-IE) – Formerly known as the WRAP program – Based on income-eligibility, offering homeowners or renters the opportunity to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Income Guidelines.

Home Energy Solutions – Home Performance (HPwES) – Recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for meeting its Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® status, HPwES expands on the Home Energy Solutions Core Services by providing a comprehensive, whole-house approach to improving energy efficiency and home comfort, while helping to protect the environment. 

Need financial help with energy efficiency improvements?

Low interest financing is available for energy efficient improvements like ductless heat pumps, geothermal systems, high efficiency heating and cooling systems, advanced air and duct sealing, and more. Financing is available through the Residential Energy Efficiency Financing Program.

If you have questions about the program, please call an energy efficiency professional at Connecticut's Energy Information Line, 877-WISE-USE (947-3873) weekdays, during business hours.

Information from www.ctenergyinfo.com and www.uinet.com.

Bridgeport residents eligible for Cozy Home Housing Development Fund Loans for energy efficiency

Bridgeport homeowners who earn 80% or less of Area Median Income are eligible for low-interest loans that support energy efficiency and health-related improvements such as weatherization, solar pv and hot water systems. Single-family home loans can range from $3,000 to $25,000. Download the brochure or contact for more information.

Cozy Home Energy Workshop- free to Bridgeport residents, June 4th at Margaret E. Morton Government Center (City Hall Annex)

Want to take control of your energy bills? Looking for home renovations that save you money and let you feel more comfortable at home all year long? 

The Housing Development Fund, a Connecticut nonprofit, is offering a free home energy workshop on June 4 from 6:30 to 7:45 pm at Margaret E. Morton Government Center (City Hall Annex, 999 Broad Street). The workshops will be presented together with Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge, an innovative community energy savings program.

The Cozy Home Energy Workshop will discuss home energy use, explain different types of energy improvements and provide details about tax credits, rebates and financing that help residents renovate their home without breaking the bank. 

Childcare will be provided.  To RSVP, visit http://bit.ly/HDF_Bridgeport.

For more information, write to  

Groundbreaking for Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell Power Station

A previous FuelCell Energy installation, a 10.4 MW fuel cell power plant in South Korea (courtesy FuelCell Energy).(Via fuelcelltoday.com) Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and other dignitaries will join executives from Dominion of Richmond, Va., and FuelCell Energy Inc., of Danbury, Conn., to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell power station in downtown Bridgeport. It will be the largest fuel cell power station in North America.

The event will take place on Friday, May 3, 2013, 11 am EDT at 1366 Railroad Ave. Bridgeport, Conn. (visitors will be directed where to park).

Dominion, one of the nation's largest energy companies, announced in December that it had acquired the fuel cell power generating facility from FuelCell Energy. The facility will produce 14.9 MW of electricity – enough to power approximately 15,000 homes – using an electro-chemical process that efficiently converts natural gas into electricity.

The project supports Connecticut's clean energy goals while producing significant economic development benefits for the state and the City of Bridgeport.

The Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell facility is part of Project 150, a program sponsored by the state andThe location of the new fuel cell (Courtesy Google Maps) supported by the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) to increase renewable and clean energy projects in Connecticut by 150 megawatts.

FuelCell Energy Inc. will supply five Direct FuelCell^® stationary fuel cell power plants and an organic rankine turbine that will convert heat from the fuel cells into additional electricity.

FuelCell Energy has expanded its Connecticut manufacturing workforce by more than 20 percent or more than 50 jobs in the past six months, reflecting demand such as this Bridgeport fuel cell park. The project is scheduled to be completed and placed into operation in late 2013.  Dominion will sell the output of the fuel cell power station to Connecticut Light & Power under a 15-year fixed energy purchase agreement.

Solarize Bridgeport Program

Solarize Bridgeport is a unique discount buying program that uses a tiered-pricing structure, town-supported education and outreach and one competitively selected installer to dramatically reduce the cost of solar. The more residents sign up for Solarize, the more the cost comes down. All contracts must be signed by July 12th to participate.

Click here to get more information about how Solarize can help you!
Download the presentation from our Bridgeport Solarize Kick-off Workshop (PDF)

Solarize Connecticut is a State-sponsored program through Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) that combines coordinated town education and outreach efforts to significantly increase residential solar. The more residents participate in the program, the more the price drops, with all residents receiving the lowest possible price for their installation no matter when they sign up for the program.

However, residents must sign a contract by July 12, 2013 to qualify.

If you want to learn more about the Solarize Bridgeport Project, go to www.SolarizeCT.com/Bridgeport, or call Astrum Solar at 800-903-6130.

Come to a Solarize Bridgeport Workshop:

• Thursday, May 9, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at North Branch Library
• Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at Black Rock Library
• Thursday, May 23, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at North Branch Library