The DMME’s application for State Energy Program (SEP) funds has been selected in a highly competitive procurement for negotiation of an award. The successful proposal, supported by Charlottesville LEAP, Clean Energy Solutions, Inc., and BLT Sustainable Energy Inc., is to “Make Energy Conservation Self-Sustaining” in public facilities. This capitalizes on recent Virginia policy initiatives intended to make the Virginia Energy Management Program (VEMP) a replicable and self-sustaining enterprise based on a fee-for-services model. DMME also proposed to make a significant contribution to the development and demonstration of the next generation of energy performance contracts specifically tailored to public facilities; to accelerate the program and increase its scope in order to more quickly create jobs, achieve greater energy cost savings and receive more environmental benefits; and to extend the mostly state-focused program to include local government and other buildings and facilities.

The proposal supports implementation of Governor Bob McDonnell’s Executive Order 19 and Executive Directive 2, which targeted a 5% reduction in energy spending and supports converting VEMP into a permanent fee-for-service enterprise, greatly expanding access to public and private capital sources and centralizing responsibility for state energy management and investments. The CESI/LEAP/BLT Team will support VEMP in outreach to state agencies, design of new performance contracting vehicles, identification of optimum financing methods, development of new revenue sources, and provision of support services to participating agencies.