As a nonprofit membership cooperative, Kankakee Valley REMC (KV REMC) is driven by their mission to bring positivity to their community and serve those who would not otherwise be served. One of their main avenues to accomplish that mission is through embracing and promoting sustainability and energy efficiency.
“We’re committed to serving our member-consumers by providing them with safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly electricity,” said Scott Sears, CEO of Kankakee Valley REMC. “We believe that keeping our energy costs lower for our member-consumers will require investing in alternative energy sources.”
KV REMC’s power supplier, Wabash Valley Power Alliance, spent the last decade dramatically updating how they deliver energy, incorporating a diverse array of fuel sources into their portfolio such as wind and solar.
“Advances in technology make wind and solar not only good for the environment, but also quite affordable,” Sears said. “We’ve also built a community solar project, support member owned and operated solar and wind generation projects, and promote electric vehicle usage. We’re including more renewable power than ever before.”
Their solar energy program, Co-Op Solar, allows KV REMC member-consumers to purchase blocks of solar power each month. The energy is collected in solar farms spread across three states. In total, up to one half of a member's average annual electricity use can be powered by solar energy through Co-Op Solar.
“It gives the benefits of solar energy without the need to own a solar array,” Sears said. “They can support sustainable energy, without all the hassle of operating one from their own home.”
Renewable energy sources are at the core of any sustainability strategy – but it is also critical to promote good energy saving habits. KV REMC offers several ways to their member consumers to lower their energy usage and lower their bills as a result.
“We’ve always put the customer first, and feel we have an obligation to help our members use energy wisely,” Sears said. “One part of that is educating members about peak usage hours, which are between 4 to 7 p.m. We have time of use rates for both residential and commercial customers, which allows them to use energy outside those peak hours, when it is less expensive, and allows for savings on their monthly bill.”
KV REMC is even able to offer their members real-time data on their energy usage, as well as rebates on upgrades to old heating and cooling systems. Every incentive and bit of information is designed to help their members conveniently generate savings and optimize their energy usage.
“We look to help everyone,” Sears said. “The members who struggle each month to make ends meet need Kankakee Valley REMC to be the low-cost, responsible energy provider for them, and everyone. We must develop programs that are inclusive and look to benefit everyone.”
To learn more about Kankakee Valley REMC, visit www.kvremc.com
“We’re committed to serving our member-consumers by providing them with safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly electricity,” said Scott Sears, CEO of Kankakee Valley REMC. “We believe that keeping our energy costs lower for our member-consumers will require investing in alternative energy sources.”
KV REMC’s power supplier, Wabash Valley Power Alliance, spent the last decade dramatically updating how they deliver energy, incorporating a diverse array of fuel sources into their portfolio such as wind and solar.
“Advances in technology make wind and solar not only good for the environment, but also quite affordable,” Sears said. “We’ve also built a community solar project, support member owned and operated solar and wind generation projects, and promote electric vehicle usage. We’re including more renewable power than ever before.”
Their solar energy program, Co-Op Solar, allows KV REMC member-consumers to purchase blocks of solar power each month. The energy is collected in solar farms spread across three states. In total, up to one half of a member's average annual electricity use can be powered by solar energy through Co-Op Solar.
“It gives the benefits of solar energy without the need to own a solar array,” Sears said. “They can support sustainable energy, without all the hassle of operating one from their own home.”
Renewable energy sources are at the core of any sustainability strategy – but it is also critical to promote good energy saving habits. KV REMC offers several ways to their member consumers to lower their energy usage and lower their bills as a result.
“We’ve always put the customer first, and feel we have an obligation to help our members use energy wisely,” Sears said. “One part of that is educating members about peak usage hours, which are between 4 to 7 p.m. We have time of use rates for both residential and commercial customers, which allows them to use energy outside those peak hours, when it is less expensive, and allows for savings on their monthly bill.”
KV REMC is even able to offer their members real-time data on their energy usage, as well as rebates on upgrades to old heating and cooling systems. Every incentive and bit of information is designed to help their members conveniently generate savings and optimize their energy usage.
“We look to help everyone,” Sears said. “The members who struggle each month to make ends meet need Kankakee Valley REMC to be the low-cost, responsible energy provider for them, and everyone. We must develop programs that are inclusive and look to benefit everyone.”
To learn more about Kankakee Valley REMC, visit www.kvremc.com
