The City of Fremont is starting off 2015 with a bang! We’re excited to share that our commitment to cleantech has enabled the City of Fremont to advance to the Semifinal round of the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a national competition that challenges Fremont, along with other small- and medium-sized communities to develop and implement creative, sustainable, and replicable strategies to save energy.

Over the next two years, the City of Fremont will work together with PG&E, local government officials, residents, energy efficiency experts, and others to put our energy-saving plan into action. We hope to deliver financial benefits to our residents and, ultimately, ensure the long-term sustainability of our community. Most importantly, our goal is to motivate changed behaviors, and change the way people think about energy efficiency —so that we can all do our part to secure our nation’s energy future.

In competing for the Georgetown University Energy Prize, the City of Fremont will focus on the following initiatives:

  • Promote no- and low- cost residential energy and water saving devices and incentive programs
  • Encourage residents to review home energy usage habits with the Home Energy Analyzer tool
  • Offer energy / water conservation and clean energy financing  opportunities such as California FIRST
  • Work with the Fremont Unified School District to promote energy literacy and develop school-based energy competitions
  • Develop a “Fremont Green Homes Challenge” providing residents with the opportunity to participate in energy/water saving and home greening projects at a variety of levels (in the works)
  • Train interested individuals and groups as volunteer “Community Energy Champions”
  • Develop a “Solarize Fremont” solar education and group solar purchase campaign to accelerate the adoption of on-site renewable energy systems (in the works)
  • Complete energy / water efficiency and renewable energy projects at City facilities
  • Collaborate with the Fremont Unified School District to encourage energy upgrade projects at public school sites
  • Engage Fremont’s cleantech companies in green energy demonstration projects

We’re anxious to get underway in the competition and we hope to make you proud as we elevate the City of Fremont to become a national leader of energy efficiency efforts in America.

Questions about the Prize? Or want to get involved? You can email me at RDiFranco@fremont.gov.  Visit www.fremont.gov/EnergyPrize for more information.