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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT
winery uncorks design efficiencies |
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Open a bottle of LangeTwins Cabernet or Chardonnay and the first thought isn’t “energy efficiency.” Yet environmental stewardship and conservation are integral elements of this progressive Lodi winery.
When identical twins Randy and Brad Lange and their families decided in 2005 to build a state-of-the-art winery on their expansive acreage of vineyards, they wanted it to reflect their philosophy.
“The environmental stewardship frame of mind allows us to think outside the box to find creative solutions that can be mutually beneficial to our ecosystem and to our bottom line,” said Brad.
The Langes turned to PG&E at the beginning of the design phase to identify opportunities for energy efficiency in their facility design and winemaking process.
Measures such as variable speed motors, insulated tanks, on-demand chillers and compressors, a return-loop hot water system and energy-efficient lighting were employed to reduce water and energy costs. In addition, the winery installed a 250-kilowatt solar system to help generate electricity.
Working with PG&E, the winery will save more than 2.1 million kilowatt-hours and 1,950 therms annually, as well as nearly $280,000 in energy costs per year. |
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MANAGING YOUR ENERGY
rewards for reducing winter natural gas usage
To help manage heating costs this winter, PG&E is once again offering the 10/20 Plus Winter Gas Savings Program. Through the program, customers that reduce their natural gas usage at their businesses or homes during the months of January and February will receive a credit on their March or April PG&E gas bill. |
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For every 1% saved, customers will receive a 1% credit — up to 9%. Reduce usage by 10%* or more, and customers can qualify for a 20% credit.
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NATURAL GAS SAVING TIPS
Install an ENERGY STAR® programmable thermostat with a locking cover, and set it no higher than 68 degrees
Regularly check air ducts and pipe insulation for damage
Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees
Perform or obtain routine HVAC maintenance
Clean or replace dirty air filters and keep the furnace lubricated and properly adjusted
Plug gaps around pipes, fans, and vents and add caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors
Turn off gas equipment and heating appliances when not in use |
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*Usage will be compared to an average natural gas usage at the premise over the past three January/February periods. |
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Through last year’s 10/20 Plus program, about 93,000 businesses reduced their natural gas usage and received a credit on their gas bills — 68,000 businesses reduced their usage by 10% or more.
Start planning now to lower winter gas bills. In addition to following PG&E’s gas savings tips, businesses may also qualify for PG&E rebates for installing specific energy-efficient gas equipment (see pge.com/business).
Find out more about the 10/20 Plus Winter Gas Savings Program, visit pge.com/winter.
The 10/20 Plus Winter Gas Savings Program is being funded by PG&E customers in accordance with the California Public Utilities Commission. |
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GOING GREEN
reduce your impact with energy efficiency and ClimateSmart™
PG&E is helping businesses meet their environmental goals, implement strategies to reduce energy use, and take advantage of renewable energy sources. Through PG&E programs and resources, businesses can find smart ways to use energy more efficiently in their daily operations and also reduce their impact on the environment.
Take advantage of PG&E’s energy-saving programs and services |
- Use PG&E’s SmartEnergy Analyzer™ (pge.com/energysurvey) to identify simple ways to reduce your monthly energy bill
- Request a PG&E energy survey for your business to maximize energy-saving opportunities (pge.com/business)
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- Find out how you can cost-effectively invest in energy-efficient equipment and qualify for PG&E rebates and incentives (pge.com/business)
- Make solar energy a part of your energy portfolio. Complete a free, energy audit to get started (pge.com/solar)
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Sign up for ClimateSmart
In a 2007 survey*, 71% of consumers believed it should be a priority for businesses to do what they can to address climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, known as a carbon footprint, is a good place to start.
Electricity and natural gas use accounts for a large portion of a company’s greenhouse gas emissions. PG&E’s ClimateSmart™ program enables businesses to make these emissions “climate neutral.”
Through ClimateSmart, businesses pay a separate amount on their monthly energy bill, and the program balances out their natural gas and electric related greenhouse gas emissions.
PG&E will invest 100 percent of a business’ ClimateSmart amount in new, independently certified greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in California, such as conserving and restoring native redwood forests and capturing methane gas from dairy farms.
The program is voluntary and businesses can opt-out at any time with no penalty.
Visit pge.com/climatesmart or call 1.800.468.4743 for more information or to enroll.
*Kelton Research 6/2007 |
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Brewery one of first to sign up for ClimateSmart |
To help meet its goal of achieving a “zero carbon footprint,” Chico- based Sierra Nevada Brewing Company signed on as one of the first corporate customers of PG&E’s ClimateSmart program.
Explains Cheri Chastain, the company’s sustainability coordinator, “Having the small portion of electricity that we still need to purchase through PG&E be carbon neutral through the ClimateSmart program brings us one step closer to becoming a carbon neutral company.”
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“PG&E” refers to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation.
©2007 Pacific Gas and Electric Company. All rights reserved. |
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CONTACT US
Business Customer Service Center
1.800.468.4743
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YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT
To deliver the best level of service, PG&E depends on feedback from its customers.
Please take a moment and tell us your thoughts about this newsletter. Share your comments with us at: pge.com/fybsurvey |
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SERVING YOUR NEEDS
 As one of J.D. Power and Associates’ top-rated utilities, PG&E takes its job seriously. The company recently celebrated 30 years of helping customers use energy more efficiently and is continuing to identify new innovations in energy-efficient technologies. This year, PG&E is also investing approximately $3 billion in its infrastructure to provide more reliable power and better customer service.
 One more example of this service commitment is PG&E’s Business Customer Service Center. One phone call — 1.800.468.4743 — puts businesses in touch with a dedicated PG&E customer service representative to assist with any special need, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Whether it’s help with scheduling an appointment, questions about rebates or incentives, or information about an outage, this special PG&E ‘hotline’ was created just for business customers.
PG&E is working hard to earn its customers’ business every day.
PG&E’s Business Customer Service Center 1.800.468.4743
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DID YOU KNOW
PG&E Programs Offer Benefits for All Businesses
From restaurants and specialty shops to very large corporations, PG&E is helping businesses manage their energy costs.
This year, PG&E has provided over $27 million in rebates and incentives to more than 4,700 businesses who have saved over 206 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) and 7.5 million therms through PG&E’s energy-efficiency programs and services.
Here are a few recent successes:
LangeTwins Winery and Vineyards
- Annual savings of more than $280,000 and incentives totaling up to $984,770
- Energy savings of more than 2.1 million kWh and 1,950 therms annually
Mervyns Corporation
- Annual savings of $276,000 and incentives totaling up to $239,600
- Energy savings of 2.3 million kWh annually
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
- Annual savings of more than $92,600 and incentives totaling up to $85,350
- Energy savings of 672,200 kWh and 9,236 therms annually
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