BALTIMORE (May 12, 2016) – Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) announced today that is has approved a $66,000 rebate to offset more than one-quarter of the cost of an energy-efficient combined heat and power (CHP) unit purchased by Columbia Association (CA), a nonprofit community services corporation serving Columbia, Md. The rebate was issued through BGE’s Smart Energy Savers Program®, which offers incentives and services to businesses that implement energy-efficient measures.

“We are excited to see our customers like CA making smart energy decisions,” said Bill Wolf, BGE’s manager of energy efficiency programs. “By installing this combined heat and power unit, CA saves electricity, lowers its costs significantly and has a positive impact on the environment.”

CA installed the 60-kilowatt CHP unit at the Supreme Sports Club, a 24-hour fitness complex. The CHP unit is expected to reduce annual operating costs by more than $20,000 through heating the Club’s pool facility and pools, as well as providing domestic hot water. By merging energy systems that traditionally operate independently, CHP systems offer substantial energy efficiency benefits and reduced operational costs.

“We are excited to have the support of BGE’s Smart Energy Savers Program,” said Jeremy Scharfenberg, CA’s energy manager. “This combined heat and power project helps us become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others in the region and here in our community that investing in clean energy strategies is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing the risks associated with climate change.”

The BGE Smart Energy Savers Program is a suite of programs that enable customers to control energy use, leading to more efficient use of electricity and lowering energy bills. The programs have provided $373 million in rebates to BGE customers and have also helped 1.5 million residential and business participants save more than 2.3 million MWh of electricity. Collectively, the programs help contain the cost of energy and improve reliability by reducing peak demand and slowing the growth in energy consumption. Energy-saving solutions are available to renters, homeowners, large and small business customers, nonprofits and institutional customers, and more information can be found at BGESmartEnergy.com. These programs support the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act.

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