DTE Energy customers participating in the company's energy efficiency offerings in 2015 will save nearly $600 million across all programs, including free home and business consultations, lighting discounts at local retailers and rebates on high-efficiency heating and air conditioning equipment as well ENERGY STAR® appliances.
Many other initiatives, including the free DTE Insight app – which allows customers to monitor real-time energy use from their smartphones, and a PowerScan tool to view energy consumption from any appliance – also contributed to the savings.
Customers participating in these programs have saved enough electricity to power about 460,000 homes and enough natural gas to heat more than 200,000 homes. The programs also have reduced greenhouse gas emissions, estimated to be the equivalent to more than 546,000 cars driven in one year.
"DTE energy efficiency programs save our customers money, reduce energy waste and improve the environment – all while creating jobs and supporting local businesses throughout Michigan," said John Boladian, director of energy optimization at DTE Energy. "The savings start from the moment customers install a high-efficiency light bulb or energy efficient water heater, and lasts over the lifetime of their energy-saving upgrades. Customers benefit immediately from discounts or rebates, and from long-term savings on their energy bills."
DTE's free Business Energy Consultation is one way customers save. "A DTE energy expert did a walk-through of my business, installed free energy efficient lights, water-saving aerators and gave me free advice on how to save even more," said Fenton Brown, owner of Fenton's Jamaican Jerk Chicken restaurant in Southfield. "Now I'm saving over 20 percent on my energy bill."
Customers who have invested in larger energy efficiency projects include the Kentwood Public Schools. With the improvements made, the school district received $114,000 in DTE incentives and reduced its monthly energy costs by up to 25 percent.
More information on savings and programs are available in DTE's 2015 Energy Optimization Report at dteenergy.com/eoannualreport. DTE accomplishments highlighted in the report include:
- Discounted more than 4.1 million high efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and 1.1 million light–emitting diodes (LEDs) at more than 700 major retail locations
- Recycled over 33,000 energy inefficient refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and room air conditioners
- Educated approximately 35,000 fourth- through sixth-grade students, teachers and parents at 345 schools in Michigan
- Delivered over 18,000 free energy efficiency kits to homeowners
- Introduced the free DTE Insight app to over 22,000 customers
- Installed free energy efficient products through 1,550 Business Energy Consultations and 27,000 Home Energy Consultations
- Completed over 40,000 energy efficiency projects for more than 15,000 businesses resulting in $150 million savings
- Outfitted more than 33,000 apartments units with free energy efficiency products
- Supported more than 150,000 low-income customers with energy efficient light bulbs and more
- Launched an energy efficiency agriculture program to help Michigan farmers save on their energy bills
- Developed partnerships and trained more than 2,400 contractors to implement the programs
- Created more than 300 Michigan-based jobs in the manufacturing and service industries
