A $44,758 GeoAlliance grant was recently presented to the Savanna Museum and Cultural Center, Savanna, to help in funding the installation of a geothermal heat pump heating and cooling system. The grant program is funded by the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) and administered by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC). The purpose [...]

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 passed by Congress on January 3 provides extensions of energy tax credit provisions for homeowners seeking energy-efficiency improvements. Under section 25C, homeowners can claim a $500 maximum tax credit to cover material costs of energy-efficient upgrades to existing homes for all taxable years. The credit is only redeemable [...]

During its Winter Board Meeting on December 3, 2012, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Board of Directors announced that U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) will assume the role of NRECA CEO effective March 1. Emerson, who will become the fifth CEO in NRECA’s 71-year history, will officially join the ­organization on February 11. [...]

Now in its second year, the Illinois Wind for Schools (ILWFS) program is accepting applications from highly motivated middle school and high school teachers in Illinois public school districts. Three to five middle and/or high schools are selected each academic year as ILWFS partner schools for intensive support through on-site teacher training and classroom resources. [...]

Richard J. Mark, the new President & CEO of Ameren Illinois, met with Jay Bartlett, President & CEO of Prairie Power, Inc., the ­generation and transmission co-op’s board of directors and Duane Noland, President & CEO of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives on December 11 at PPI’s headquarters in Jacksonville. Both Mark and Bartlett [...]

The state’s website for community and individual ­information disaster ­preparedness is now even easier to use. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) launched an updated Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov) to help connect people with information they need to be prepared for many types of emergencies. “The Ready Illinois website is a ‘one-stop shop’ for information [...]

Electric cooperative members who made energy efficiency a New Year’s resolution can score success in 2013 by changing a few things at home.  “Saving energy does not have to cost a lot of money,” said Brian Sloboda, senior program manager at NRECA’s Cooperative Research Network. “There are a lot of simple things you can do [...]

In September the members of Lincoln Prairie Water Company of Shelbyville agreed to merge with EJ Water Cooperative. The merger helps Lincoln Prairie members avoid a pending 9 percent rate increase plus 3 percent rate increases over the next two years. “They will actually have a slight rate decrease to match the water rate of [...]

  With a $10,000 donation from Shelby Electric Cooperative and CoBank, the Roxy Theatre in Shelbyville raised the money needed for its digital conversion. With the industry making fewer and fewer 35 mm movies, theaters had to change to digital equipment or close. “We needed to raise $65,000 to $70,000 for the conversion,” said Roxy committee [...]

The Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District should see a $1 million increase in revenue thanks to construction of the Pioneer Trail Wind Farm east of Paxton. That means property tax bills for homeowners should see a savings next summer. All of the 94 turbines owned by the wind farm are in the school district boundaries and valued [...]