The Bureau of Energy and Recycling seeks to demonstrate the economic development benefits, including job creation, of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and recycling through a variety of programs and services. Further, Bureau programs will demonstrate that economic development, sustainable energy, and recycling practices, and environmental protection go hand in hand.
In addition, the Bureau will continue to promote the leadership of the State of Illinois, through its own energy and recycling policies and practices, at state facilities. Individually tailored programs are available to assist Illinois citizens, communities, non-profit organizations, businesses, industry, and other government agencies in an effort to achieve the Bureau's mission. Program areas include the following:
Energy Efficiency Portfolio
Incentives for measures to reduce electricity available soon!!!
Incentives will be available to customers in Ameren Illinois and ComEd’s electric service areas.
DCEO will provide incentives for the public sector and ComEd and Ameren Illinois will provide incentives for businesses and residential programs.
DCEO Energy Efficiency Portfolio Fact Sheet
Public Sector Energy Efficiency Programs
Guidelines available soon.
Low Income Energy Efficiency Programs
Energy Efficient Affordable Housing Construction Program Guidelines
Residential Retrofit Program Guidelines
Market Transformation - Technical Assistance, Education and Training Programs
Building Industry Training and Education Program Guidelines
Illinois Sustainable Education Projects (ISTEP) Guidelines
Large-customer Energy Analysis Program (LEAP) Guidelines - Coming soon
For a summary of BEAR (Bureau of Energy and Recycling) programs
Link to ComEd programs (www.comedCARE.com)
Link to additional information on Energy Efficiency Standards (www.ileeps.org)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
Energy efficiency investments in Illinois’ economy brings strong and diverse benefits, including protecting consumers and businesses from higher energy prices, improving electric reliability by reducing congestion on the electricity grid, supporting the retention of manufacturing jobs by reducing manufacturing energy costs and supporting the manufacture of new high-efficiency products, hedging risk against fuel price volatility, supporting public health and the environmental quality by reducing energy waste, and helping to keep Illinois’ energy dollars in the local economy.
CLEAN ENERGY
Illinois boasts significant potential for renewable power and heating: wind, solar, and biogas offer both economic and environmental benefits. Wind energy costs have fallen significantly, and modern wind farms provide both stable income for farmers and significant property tax revenues for local governments. Biogas facilities allow livestock owners to transform wastes from pollution into clean energy, and solar thermal technologies offer an increasingly cost-effective alternative to volatile natural gas prices. Illinois strongly supports the development of these resources.
RENEWABLE FUELS
Home-grown fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel reduce Illinois' dependence on foreign oil, keep energy dollars in the local economy, support local corn and soybean prices, and make a cleaner and healthier environment for Illinois. Illinois is the nation's largest ethanol producer, and is working hard to maintain leadership in biofuels technology development and production.
The Illinois Recycling Grants Program helps communities, businesses and not-for-profit organizations collect and process materials for recycling.
The Recycling Expansion and Modernization (REM) Program provides grants to divert materials from the municipal solid waste stream, thereby conserving our natural resources, and improve the performance and “bottom line” of Illinois businesses and organizations (reduced operating costs, increased sales, etc.) while demonstrating public economic benefits.