News Release

October 31, 2008

Team-up for the KCC Energy Challenge
SEE WHO CAN REDUCE ENERGY USAGE THE MOST

The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) announces a new and exciting initiative, the "Energy Challenge," a friendly energy savings competition. The Energy Challenge is designed to heighten awareness and reduce residential energy usage during the winter heating season through a fun competition. The Challenge creates the opportunity for teams of ten members each to compete with other teams to see which team can reduce its total energy usage the most from November 1 through March 31st from the same time period last year.

Online tools have been developed for employers, whether state agencies, local government or private industry, to set up competitions within their organization or between organizations to encourage energy efficiency. The winning team will receive an award from the KCC.

KCC Chairman Thomas Wright said, "Anything we can do to increase awareness of the need to reduce energy consumption is a win, win situation. Energy efficiency is the greatest overlooked energy resource available to us."

"Kansans can reduce their energy use by changing their furnace filters at the beginning of the season; checking and sealing windows and foundations against air leaks; or installing an insulation blanket around old water heaters," said Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said, "Every Kilowatt we save is one less Kilowatt we have to get from burning fossil fuels. Energy efficiency and conservation can help to bridge the gap until truly clean power plants are available. And with the rising costs of energy right before the cold season, these steps can help Kansans save money too."

The easy to use online tools include Energy Challenge instructions, team registration, and entry and automatic tracking of monthly energy usage. Teams must register by December 1 and then will record their natural gas and electric energy usage from last year and this year from their utility bills. The tools automatically calculate the reduction for the five months which are recorded. Once registered, challenges can be made between teams as well as entities such as employees from the city of Lawrence against employees from the city of Manhattan. In April, the KCC will announce the winning team, along with the total overall energy reduction achieved through the Energy Challenge.

The Wall Street Journal reported that "U.S. consumers have direct or indirect control over 65% of the country’s greenhouse-gas emissions, according to new statistics tallied by McKinsey & Co. The figure for consumers in the rest of the world is just 43%. Americans, largely because of how they drive and how they build and use their homes and offices lead some of the most energy-intensive lives in the world."

To register your team and access all the online tools, including links to energy saving tips, go to https://efile.kcc.ks.gov/Energy/EnergyChallenge.aspx.