PEORIA, Ill., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ameren Illinois Utilities (AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO, AmerenIP) small business customers can now purchase high-efficiency ENERGY STAR qualified CFL bulbs for as little as $1 a bulb through the new Small Business Online Store (ActOnEnergy.com).
As an added incentive to save money on energy bills, beginning today the Ameren Illinois Utilities (AIU) will provide free shipping for a limited time on all Small Business Online Store orders. Businesses will qualify for Small Business Online Store discounts if they are a DS-2 customer, meaning their demand is no more than 150 kilowatts of electricity per month.
"Small businesses face special challenges as they work to remain competitive, especially in this difficult economic climate. Our Act On Energy® lighting initiatives for small businesses can help them spend less by using less energy, giving them the competitive edge they need," said Cheryl Miller the Act On Energy business program manager.
"A typical small business spends a significant portion of its energy budget on lighting. Our CFL and LED lighting options are the perfect solutions," Miller said. "The easiest first step is to switch to ENERGY STAR qualified CFL bulbs, which use as much as 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last as much as 10 times longer. A typical office that replaces 20 incandescent bulbs with CFLs can save as much as $340 per year in electricity costs."
In addition to standard CFLs, the Small Business Online Store is now offering dimmable CFL flood lights and 10.5-watt and 12-watt dimmable LED down light modules.
Business customers can purchase energy efficient LED exit signs that cost about $3.60 a year in energy costs to operate. On the other hand, exit signs with incandescent bulbs cost as much as $65 per year to operate. That's over $300 in energy savings over a five-year period for each exit sign replaced.
The Small Business Online Store also offers the new Smart Power Strip, which is designed to automatically turn electrical devices such as computer printers and scanners on and off. Research has shown these devices can save at least $52 a year.
In addition to the Small Business Online Store, Act On Energy offers small businesses incentives to tune up heating and cooling equipment or to install new high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment. Qualifying small business commercial kitchens can receive a free Green Pre-rinse Spray Valve that can help businesses save $500 or more in natural gas costs.
Businesses of all sizes can take advantage of incentive programs when they install qualified energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems, refrigeration and motor systems.
Incentives also are available for qualified projects such as variable-frequency drives on process fans and pumps, compressed air system improvements, improvements to reduce energy use in manufacturing processes and other initiatives.
Complete information about these and other incentive programs - including those for residential customers - is available at ActOnEnergy.com or by calling 1-866-800-0747.
The Ameren Illinois Utilities (AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO, AmerenIP) have been providing safe, reliable energy delivery service for more than a century. The Ameren Illinois Utilities deliver energy to 1.2 million electric and 840,000 natural gas customers in more than 1,200 communities within a 43,700-square-mile service territory.
SOURCE Ameren Illinois Utilities
SOURCE: Ameren Illinois Utilities
Web site: http://www.ameren.com/
http://www.actonenergy.com/