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We manufacture energy efficient lighting in Eugene save our Oregon customers over 40,000,000 kilowatt hours per year, out of the state another 60,000,000. We provide jobs for our workers, sales people, installers, pay taxes and contribute our fair share to helping to make Oregon the place we all love to call home.  I have worked with the BETC program and utility programs around the country for years. There are areas that could be improved, the rule changes that were recently imposed are part of that. A continuing effort to improve the program is being well handled by the new director. There isn't a program in the public or the private sector that is perfect. If we were all perfect, we would be working 1 day a week, exercising enough, eating correctly and the economy would be great.

   Our customers use the pass thru program constantly, there are many small and large business's that need the money upfront than wait 1 to 5 years to get back. We have over 4,000 of our fixtures in school gyms from Tillamook to Burns to OSU. Our customers have gotten somewhere around $3.5 million back in BETC credits over the years. They are also saving about $1,800,000 a year in energy costs. Those costs are every year for decades. That is money that is staying in Oregon, helping those business's schools, factories... run more efficiently.

   About 80% of electric customers in Oregon are served by PP&L and PGE. Even though we think hydro in Oregon, PP&L gets about 80% of their power from coal plants.

   The BETC program is helping to save money thru projects with a reasonable payback, save a little bit of the planet, keep some local jobs and provide a better work environment, which is helping to make Oregon the 6th highest rated state in the country for efficiency.

   Its a national pastime to put down our government and many times so do I.  After getting to know a few very good people in the legislature, state agencies, it is easy to say, they are doing a fine job and working to make the program better and more efficient.

   If you haven't used the BETC or the RETC program, or the Energy Trust programs or any of the other utility programs in the state to help make our state more efficient, your home more comfortable or your business save half of its lighting energy use, its time to.

posted 3 years, 5 months ago
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