Latest news with #CEJA
Agriland
6 hours ago
- Business
- Agriland
EU young farmers say new water plan lacks detail on investment
A new plan unveiled by the European Commission this week to protect water supplies in the EU lacks detail on investment and leaves young farmers in the bloc 'wondering about what is to come'. That is according to CEJA, the EU-wide body that represents young farmers, and of which Ireland's young farmer organisation Macra is a member. The commission said that its new European Water Resilience Strategy is aimed at restoring and protecting the water cycle, securing clean and affordable water, and creating as 'sustainable, resilient, smart and competitive water economy'. The plan outlines several actions, including a number for agriculture. These include: supporting the uptake of water reuse practices; maximising the use of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans for water resilience through knowledge sharing and improved, independent farm advisory services; and continuing to incentivise farmers to improve the environmental performance of their holdings. However, despite these actions, CEJA said that the commission 'does not clarify its intentions as to the potential revision' of its water legislation, 'leaving young farmers wondering about what is to come after 2027'. The young farmer group said that agriculture is already one of the sectors directly exposed to changing climatic conditions and more frequent seasonal extremes, which have 'detrimental effects' on yields and the socio-economic situation of agri-businesses. Katharina Schobersberger, one of CEJA's vice-presidents, said: 'For agriculture, access to water is an absolute necessity, as food and feed production, as well as the well-being of animals, comes and falls with it. As young farmers, we severely struggle with the negative impacts of climate change on the resilience of our businesses.' Another vice-president, Matteo Pagliarani, said: 'Ensuring that young farmers are equipped with the right tools and opportunities to adapt their on-farm water management is crucial for the future of our entire sector.' According to CEJA, young farmers need higher investment support for on-farm water management for infrastructure, such as water retention basins, rainwater storage, drip irrigation, and desalination plants, as well as increased cooperation with other sectors to use 'repurposed' water. The farm organisation said that, in some member states, on-farm investment not only faces high financial costs but also considerable legal and administrative barriers, leaving young farmers 'empty-handed' when it comes to dealing with extreme weather events. For that reason, CEJA welcomed the creation of a dedicated water programme by the European Investment Bank, which aims to provide enhanced investment into more efficient water management in the private sector. However, the eligibility requirements to access that funding are unclear at this time, which CEJA said poses 'serious questions' as to the actual amount of support farmers will be able to get. The farm organisation said that the European Commission has responsibility to provide 'the right tools and instruments in the agriculture sector to enable adequate adaptation of farming practices to the new climatic and environmental realities.' CEJA also said it 'regrets' that the commission does not 'explicitly state the direction of European water legislation in the upcoming years, hampering potential investments in on-farm water and nutrient management'.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ComEd Receives Approval for Beneficial Electrification Plan 2, Continuing to Advance Transportation Electrification in Illinois
Investment of $168 million over three years will support EV purchases and charging infrastructure advancements CHICAGO, May 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ComEd today announced that the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved its second Beneficial Electrification (BE) Plan, investing approximately $168 million over a three-year period beginning in 2026. The continuation of ComEd's BE funding marks a significant step forward in ComEd's commitment to advancing electric vehicle (EV) adoption and reducing emissions in northern Illinois. Building on its current $231 million investment in beneficial electrification, deployed from 2023 through 2025, ComEd will invest an additional $168 million between 2026-2028 through BE Plan 2 to help residential and non-residential customers transition to and take advantage of electric vehicles. Since February of 2024, ComEd has incentivized the purchase and installation of nearly 5,000 public and private EV charging ports (Level 2 and Fast Chargers) and the purchase or lease of nearly 1,000 new and pre-owned electric fleet vehicles. More than 70% of the rebates awarded have gone to low-income customers or business and public sector organizations located in, or primarily serving, low-income and Equity Investment Eligible Communities (EIECs). Over this same period, Illinois has seen EV registrations grow three to four times faster than the nation as a whole. "The shift to EVs is a major milestone on the road to Illinois' clean energy future, and it is part of a broader effort to electrify more of our region's energy system," said Gil C. Quiniones, ComEd President and CEO. "Through the expansion of our Beneficial Electrification programs, ComEd is helping to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and enable all communities to enjoy the benefits and opportunities that flow from the global energy transformation." The approval of ComEd's BE Plan 2 follows the successful implementation of ComEd's first BE Plan, which was approved in 2023 under the guidance of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2021, CEJA aims to combat climate change by leveraging Illinois' clean electricity grid and promoting beneficial electrification across the state. "Illinois is committed to decarbonizing the transportation sector, and ComEd's BE Plan 2 plays a crucial role in enabling more electric vehicle adoption in the state," said Megha Lakhchaura, State EV Officer of Illinois. "By expanding charging infrastructure and providing incentives from the state and key partners like ComEd, we are making EV adoption more accessible and practical for residents and businesses alike." Key components of ComEd's second Beneficial Electrification Plan include: Residential EV Charger and Installation Program: $11 million, over three years, to offer rebates of up to $2,500 per household to support the purchase and installation of residential Level 2 electric vehicle chargers. Business and Public Sector EV Purchase Program: $82 million, over three years, to offer rebates for the purchase or lease of new or pre-owned fleet EVs of all weight classes. Business and Public Sector Make-Ready Program: $44 million, over three years, to offer rebates for covering costs associated with making sites ready for public or private Level 2 of DC Fast Charging equipment. Customer Education and Awareness Program: $11 million, over three years, to fund multiple efforts to empower and support customers to make informed decisions about vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure deployment. This includes free access to ComEd support tools including Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Toolkits and training programs for municipalities interested in achieving "EV Ready" status, and free Fleet Electrification Assessments, among others. Research and Development Program: $11 million, over three years, to evaluate and demonstrate the impact of new transportation and electrification technologies. Portfolio Program: $9 million, over three years, to fund a variety of initiatives spanning across multiple programs, to support a successful deployment of BE Plan 2 as a whole. Projects located in, or primarily serving, low income or EIECs, will be eligible for higher rebate amounts, and will receive more than 50% of the BE Plan 2 budget. Exact rebate amounts may be adjusted in response to demand over the course of the BE Plan 2 timeline. EVs provide a variety of benefits for customers. Not only do they offer fuel and maintenance cost savings and performance benefits, but communities can experience broad environmental improvements from reduced tailpipe emissions. Additionally, electrifying transportation—especially vehicle fleets—can create tangible benefits for all communities and families across northern Illinois, including health benefits in communities which have traditionally borne the brunt of climate change and air pollution. "Reducing vehicle emissions is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality and public health," said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. "Given current uncertainty with other sources of funding that foster zero-emission transportation, ComEd's continued investment in its Beneficial Electrification Plan is now even more critical in helping cut harmful pollutants, leading to cleaner air and healthier communities across northern Illinois." ComEd's BE Plan 2 was developed in close collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including environmental organizations, community groups and industry experts to ensure equitable access to electrification benefits. The continued efforts in 2026 will build upon the existing resources and tools ComEd has already launched to support customer education and EV adoption including, the ComEd EV Toolkit, EV Ambassador Program, EV Readiness program, EV Load Capacity Map, Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Service Provider Network, EV Dealership Network and more. For more information on ComEd's second BE Plan and available resources and programs offered by ComEd, please visit ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company serving more than 10.7 million electricity and natural gas customers—the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population. For more information, visit and connect with the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube. View source version on Contacts ComEdMedia Relations312-394-3500
Business Wire
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
ComEd Receives Approval for Beneficial Electrification Plan 2, Continuing to Advance Transportation Electrification in Illinois
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ComEd today announced that the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved its second Beneficial Electrification (BE) Plan, investing approximately $168 million over a three-year period beginning in 2026. The continuation of ComEd's BE funding marks a significant step forward in ComEd's commitment to advancing electric vehicle (EV) adoption and reducing emissions in northern Illinois. Building on its current $231 million investment in beneficial electrification, deployed from 2023 through 2025, ComEd will invest an additional $168 million between 2026-2028 through BE Plan 2 to help residential and non-residential customers transition to and take advantage of electric vehicles. Since February of 2024, ComEd has incentivized the purchase and installation of nearly 5,000 public and private EV charging ports (Level 2 and Fast Chargers) and the purchase or lease of nearly 1,000 new and pre-owned electric fleet vehicles. More than 70% of the rebates awarded have gone to low-income customers or business and public sector organizations located in, or primarily serving, low-income and Equity Investment Eligible Communities (EIECs). Over this same period, Illinois has seen EV registrations grow three to four times faster than the nation as a whole. 'The shift to EVs is a major milestone on the road to Illinois' clean energy future, and it is part of a broader effort to electrify more of our region's energy system,' said Gil C. Quiniones, ComEd President and CEO. 'Through the expansion of our Beneficial Electrification programs, ComEd is helping to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and enable all communities to enjoy the benefits and opportunities that flow from the global energy transformation.' The approval of ComEd's BE Plan 2 follows the successful implementation of ComEd's first BE Plan, which was approved in 2023 under the guidance of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2021, CEJA aims to combat climate change by leveraging Illinois' clean electricity grid and promoting beneficial electrification across the state. 'Illinois is committed to decarbonizing the transportation sector, and ComEd's BE Plan 2 plays a crucial role in enabling more electric vehicle adoption in the state,' said Megha Lakhchaura, State EV Officer of Illinois. 'By expanding charging infrastructure and providing incentives from the state and key partners like ComEd, we are making EV adoption more accessible and practical for residents and businesses alike.' Key components of ComEd's second Beneficial Electrification Plan include: Residential EV Charger and Installation Program: $11 million, over three years, to offer rebates of up to $2,500 per household to support the purchase and installation of residential Level 2 electric vehicle chargers. Business and Public Sector EV Purchase Program: $82 million, over three years, to offer rebates for the purchase or lease of new or pre-owned fleet EVs of all weight classes. Business and Public Sector Make-Ready Program: $44 million, over three years, to offer rebates for covering costs associated with making sites ready for public or private Level 2 of DC Fast Charging equipment. Customer Education and Awareness Program: $11 million, over three years, to fund multiple efforts to empower and support customers to make informed decisions about vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure deployment. This includes free access to ComEd support tools including Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Toolkits and training programs for municipalities interested in achieving 'EV Ready' status, and free Fleet Electrification Assessments, among others. Research and Development Program: $11 million, over three years, to evaluate and demonstrate the impact of new transportation and electrification technologies. Portfolio Program: $9 million, over three years, to fund a variety of initiatives spanning across multiple programs, to support a successful deployment of BE Plan 2 as a whole. Projects located in, or primarily serving, low income or EIECs, will be eligible for higher rebate amounts, and will receive more than 50% of the BE Plan 2 budget. Exact rebate amounts may be adjusted in response to demand over the course of the BE Plan 2 timeline. EVs provide a variety of benefits for customers. Not only do they offer fuel and maintenance cost savings and performance benefits, but communities can experience broad environmental improvements from reduced tailpipe emissions. Additionally, electrifying transportation—especially vehicle fleets—can create tangible benefits for all communities and families across northern Illinois, including health benefits in communities which have traditionally borne the brunt of climate change and air pollution. 'Reducing vehicle emissions is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality and public health,' said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. 'Given current uncertainty with other sources of funding that foster zero-emission transportation, ComEd's continued investment in its Beneficial Electrification Plan is now even more critical in helping cut harmful pollutants, leading to cleaner air and healthier communities across northern Illinois.' ComEd's BE Plan 2 was developed in close collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including environmental organizations, community groups and industry experts to ensure equitable access to electrification benefits. The continued efforts in 2026 will build upon the existing resources and tools ComEd has already launched to support customer education and EV adoption including, the ComEd EV Toolkit, EV Ambassador Program, EV Readiness program, EV Load Capacity Map, Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Service Provider Network, EV Dealership Network and more. For more information on ComEd's second BE Plan and available resources and programs offered by ComEd, please visit
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Clean energy workforce training hub a ‘gamechanger' in this struggling factor town
Decatur, Illinois, has been losing factory jobs for years. A training program at a local community college promises renewal and provides training for students from disenfranchised communities This story is part of a collaboration between the Institute for Nonprofit News' Rural News Network and Canary Media, South Dakota News Watch, Cardinal News, The Mendocino Voice and The Maine Monitor, with support from Ascendium Education Group. It is reprinted with permission. DECATUR, IL. - A fistfight at a high school football game nearly defined Shawn Honorable's life. It was 1999 when he and a group of teen boys were expelled and faced criminal charges over the incident. The story of the "Decatur Seven" drew national headlines and protests led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who framed their harsh treatment as blatant racism. The governor eventually intervened, and the students were allowed to attend alternative schools. Honorable, now 41, was encouraged by support "from around the world," but he said the incident was traumatizing and he continued to struggle academically and socially. Over the years, he dabbled in illegal activity and was incarcerated, most recently after a 2017 conviction for accepting a large amount of marijuana sent through the mail. Today, Honorable is ready to start a new chapter, having graduated with honors last week from a clean energy workforce training program at Richland Community College, located in the Central Illinois city of Decatur. He would eventually like to own or manage a solar company, but he has more immediate plans to start a solar-powered mobile hot dog stand. He's already chosen the name: Buns on the Run. "By me going back to school and doing this, it shows my nephews and my little cousins and nieces that it is good to have education," Honorable said. "I know this is going to be the new way of life with solar panels. So I'll have a step up on everyone. When it comes, I will already be aware of what's going on with this clean energy thing." After decades of layoffs and factory closings, the community of Decatur is also looking to clean energy as a potential springboard. Located amid soybean fields a three-hour drive from Chicago, the city was long known for its Caterpillar, Firestone Tire, and massive corn-syrup factories. Industrial jobs have been in decline for decades, though, and high rates of gun violence, child poverty, unemployment, and incarceration were among the reasons the city was named a clean energy workforce hub funded under Illinois' 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Decatur's hub, based at Richland Community College, is arguably the most developed and successful of the dozen or so established statewide. That's thanks in part to TCCI Manufacturing, a local, family-owned factory that makes electric vehicle compressors. TCCI is expanding its operations with a state-of-the-art testing facility and an on-site campus where Richland students will take classes adjacent to the manufacturing floor. The electric truck company Rivian also has a factory 50 miles away. "The pieces are all coming together," Kara Demirjian, senior vice president of TCCI Manufacturing, said by email. "What makes this region unique is that it's not just about one company or one product line. It's about building an entire clean energy ecosystem. The future of EV manufacturing leadership won't just be on the coasts - it's being built right here in the Midwest." Related: Want to read more about how climate change is shaping education? Subscribe to our free newsletter. The Decatur CEJA program has also flourished because it was grafted onto a preexisting initiative, EnRich, that helps formerly incarcerated or otherwise disenfranchised people gain new skills and employment. The program is overseen by the Rev. Courtney Carson, a childhood friend of Honorable and another member of the Decatur Seven. "So many of us suffer significantly from our unmet needs, our unhealed traumas," said Carson, who was jailed as a young man for gun possession and later drag racing. With the help of mentors including Rev. Jackson and a college basketball coach, he parlayed his past into leadership, becoming associate pastor at a renowned church, leading a highway construction class at Richland, and in 2017 being elected to the same school board that had expelled him. Carson, now vice president of external relations at the community college, tapped his own experience to shape EnRich as a trauma-informed approach, with wraparound services to help students overcome barriers - from lack of childcare to PTSD to a criminal record. Carson has faith that students can overcome such challenges to build more promising futures, like Decatur itself has done. "We have all these new opportunities coming in, and there's a lot of excitement in the city," Carson said. "That's magnificent. So what has to happen is these individuals who suffered from closures, they have to be reminded that there is hope." Richland Community College's clean energy jobs training starts with an eight-week life skills course that has long been central to the larger EnRich program. The course uses a Circle of Courage practice inspired by Indigenous communities and helps students prepare to handle stressful workplace situations like being disrespected or even called a racial slur. "Being called the N-word, couldn't that make you want to fight somebody? But now you lose your job," said Carson. "We really dive deep into what's motivating their attitude and those traumas that have significantly impacted their body to make them respond to situations either the right way or the wrong way." The training addresses other dynamics that might be unfamiliar to some students - for example, some male students might not be prepared to be supervised by a woman, Carson noted, or others might not be comfortable with LGBTQ+ coworkers. James said that at first, he showed up late to every class. But soon the lessons sank in, and he was never late again. He always paid attention when people talked, and he gained new confidence. "As long as I put my mind to it, I can do it," said James, who would like to work as a home energy auditor. Richland partners with the energy utility Ameren to place trainees in such positions. "I like being out in the field, learning new stuff, dealing with homes, helping people," James said, noting he made energy-efficiency improvements to his own home after the course. Related: To fill 'education deserts,' more states want community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees Illinois' 2017 Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) launched the state's clean energy transition, baking in equity goals that prioritize opportunities for people who benefited least and were harmed most by the fossil fuel economy. It created programs to deploy solar arrays and provide job training in marginalized and environmental justice communities. FEJA's rollout was rocky. Funding for equity-focused solar installations went unspent while workforce programs struggled to recruit trainees and connect them with jobs. The pandemic didn't help. The follow-up legislation, CEJA, expanded workforce training programs and remedied snafus in the original law. Melissa Gombar is principal director of workforce development programs for Elevate, a Chicago-based national nonprofit organization that oversaw FEJA job training and subcontracts for a Chicago-area CEJA hub. Gombar said many community organizations tasked with running FEJA training programs were relatively small and grassroots, so they had to scramble to build new financial and human resources infrastructure. "They have to have certain policies in place for hiring and procurement. The influx of grant money might have doubled their budget," Gombar said. Meanwhile, the state employees tasked with helping the groups "are really talented and skilled, trying their best, but they're overburdened because of the large lift." CEJA, by contrast, tapped community colleges like Richland, which already had robust infrastructure and staffing. CEJA also funds community organizations to serve as "navigators," using the trust and credibility they've developed in communities to recruit trainees. Richland Community College received $2.6 million from April 2024 through June 2025, and the Community Foundation of Macon County, the hub's navigator, received $440,000 for the same time period. The other hubs similarly received between $1 million and $3.3 million for the past year, and state officials have said the same level of funding will be allocated for each of the next two years, according to the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. CEJA hubs also include social service providers that connect trainees with wraparound support; businesses like TCCI that offer jobs; and affiliated entrepreneur incubators that help people start their own clean energy businesses. CEJA also funded apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs with labor unions, which are often a prerequisite for employment in utility-scale solar and wind. "The sum of the parts is greater than the whole," said Drew Keiser, TCCI vice president of global human resources. "The navigator is saying, 'Hey, I've connected with this portion of the population that's been overlooked or underserved.' OK, once you get them trained, send their resumes to me, and I'll get them interviewed. We're seeing a real pipeline into careers." The hub partners go to great lengths to aid students - for example, coordinating and often paying for transportation, childcare, or even car repairs. "If you need some help, they always there for you," James said. Related: Losing faith: Rural, religious colleges are among the most endangered In 1984, TCCI began making vehicle compressors in a Decatur plant formerly used to build Sherman tanks during World War II. A few decades later, the company began producing compressors for electric vehicles, which are much more elaborate and sensitive than those for internal combustion engines. In August 2023, Gov. JB Pritzker joined TCCI President Richard Demirjian, the Decatur mayor, and college officials for the groundbreaking of an Electric Vehicle Innovation Hub, which will include a climatic research facility - basically a high-tech wind tunnel where companies and researchers from across the world can send EV chargers, batteries, compressors, and other components for testing in extreme temperatures, rain, and wind. A $21.3 million capital grant and a $2.2 million electric vehicle incentive from the state are funding the wind tunnel and the new facilities where Richland classes will be held. In 2022, Pritzker announced these investments as furthering the state goal of 1 million EVs on the road by 2030. Far from the gritty industrial environs that likely characterized Decatur workplaces of the past, the classrooms at TCCI feature colorful decor, comfortable armchairs, and bright, airy spaces adjacent to pristine high-tech manufacturing floors lined with machines. "This hub is a game changer," said Keiser, noting the need for trained tradespeople. "As a country, we place a lot of emphasis on kids going to college, and maybe we've kind of overlooked getting tangible skills in the hands of folks." A marketing firm founded by Kara Demirjian – Richard Demirjian's sister – and located on-site with TCCI also received clean energy hub funds to promote the training program. This has been crucial to the hub's success, according to Ariana Bennick, account executive at the firm, DCC Marketing. Its team has developed, tested, and deployed digital billboards, mailers, ads, Facebook events, and other approaches to attract trainees and business partners. "Being a part of something here in Decatur that's really leading the nation in this clean energy initiative is exciting," Bennick said. "It can be done here in the middle of the cornfields. We want to show people a framework that they can take and scale in other places." With graduation behind him, Honorable is planning the types of hot dogs and sausages he'll sell at Buns on the Run. He said Tamika Thomas, director of the CEJA program at Richland, has also encouraged him to consider teaching so he can share the clean energy skills he's learned with others. The world seems wide open with possibilities. "A little at a time - I'm going to focus on the tasks in front of me that I'm passionate about, and then see what's next," Honorable said. He invoked a favorite scene from the cartoon TV series "The Flintstones," in which the characters' leg power, rather than wheels and batteries, propelled vehicles: "Like Fred and Barney, I'll be up and running." The post Clean energy workforce training hub a 'gamechanger' in this struggling factor town appeared first on The Hechinger Report.
Business Wire
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
ComEd Celebrates Rockford's First Graduating Class of New Market Development Initiative
BUSINESS WIRE)-- ComEd today graduated nearly a dozen participants of its first Skilled Cohort in Rockford; part of its Market Development Initiative (MDI) that provides resources and training to help create a diverse, local workforce that is qualified to take on roles in the growing energy efficiency industry. Over the course of five weeks, entrepreneurs completed training to become certified in the latest building standards and receive relevant knowledge to help advance their careers in energy efficiency, HVAC, or weatherization. 'To help support the communities we're privileged to serve, ComEd has made increasing training and contracting opportunities a top priority,' said Gil Quiniones, ComEd president and CEO. 'Through MDI, local entrepreneurs, individuals and businesses gain a competitive edge in the growing field of energy efficiency and can play a key role in advancing the clean energy transition.' MDI, launched in early 2024, integrates energy-efficiency skills training for both novice and experienced workers and entrepreneurs, while also providing opportunities for diverse vendors to obtain certifications and join a vendor database. This database will facilitate access to business opportunities through ComEd and other primary contractors. These resources aim to strengthen the current pipeline of diverse, skilled, and local talent necessary to undertake the increasing number of clean energy projects arising from the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). "The graduation of these Rockford-area residents from ComEd's Market Development Initiative represents a significant investment in our community's future," said Joseph Chiarelli, Chairman of the Winnebago County Board. "By providing our local workforce with specialized skills in energy efficiency, this program not only creates economic opportunities for our residents but also supports Winnebago County's commitment to sustainability and clean energy. We're proud to see our community members developing expertise that will benefit both their careers and our region's environmental goals." Since its inception over one year ago, ComEd's MDI program has successfully graduated a total of 80 participants across five distinct cohorts. Education and certification are offered to individuals from various experience levels and backgrounds, focusing on areas that support the energy efficiency industry, including: air sealing; mold identification and remediation; proper ventilation; and understanding how homes function as systems to improve energy efficiency. All training is provided at no cost to participants. Depending on the course, participants may be eligible for a weekly stipend, daily meals, and assistance with transportation. Additionally, ComEd's MDI enlists the support of over a dozen community-based organizations who serve as local navigators to recruit and connect job seekers and firms to training opportunities provided through the initiative. The skills and tools provided by MDI assist families and businesses throughout northern Illinois in leveraging the benefits of ComEd's award-winning Energy Efficiency Program, which includes services, rebates, and discounts to help customers manage energy usage and reduce bills. Since its start in 2008, the program has supported hundreds of thousands of families and businesses in saving a total of over $11 billion on energy bills and over 99 million megawatt-hours of electricity. Additionally, the program has contributed to reducing over 74 billion pounds of carbon emissions, equivalent to planting more than 33 million acres of trees. For an in-depth look into MDI and how individuals, businesses and entrepreneurs can apply and contribute to expanding the energy landscape, visit
