December 1999
What's inside?
- California cooperative actively promotes geothermal heat pump technology
- Iowa utility shows customers how to be 'Efficiency Wise'
- From Western's Power Line
- PRPA Expands wind energy program as demand grows
- Cornhusker Public Power District tears down barriers, wins NRECA award
- Community Development: How can your utility get involved?
- Earthfair 2000 to celebrate Earth Day in Washington, D.C.
- 'Aggressive' marketing works for GeoExchange
- ASES plans conference, home tours
- First year of Nebraska wind program successful
 Western's Power Line: 1-800-POWERLN (1-800-769-3756) |
| The Energy Services Bulletin is published by the Western Area Power Administration (Western) for the information of Agency customers. The mailing address is Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213; the telephone number is (303) 275-1739, e-mail: buntin@wapa.gov. Regional Energy Services Managers are: Billings, MT - Diane Noennig, (406) 247-7392; Loveland, CO - Peggy Plate, 1-800-472-2306; Phoenix, AZ - Steve Szarka, (602) 352-2462; Folsom, CA - Robert Parkins, (916) 353-4490; and Salt Lake City, UT - Dave Bennion, (801) 524-5506. The mention of any service, product, or technology does not constitute an endorsement of same and Western, the Department of Energy, or the United States Government cannot be held responsible or liable for use thereof.
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'Aggressive' marketing works for GeoExchange
Mailers, newspaper and radio advertisements, videotapes, and word-of-mouth publicity work together to make Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative's GeoExchange program a success.
"We market GeoExchange very aggressively," said Nell Thomas, Plumas-Sierra's member services director. "We sent out a mailer this week, plus we're running radio and newspaper ads."
The cooperative's advertising often includes incentives. For example, a recent ad offers customers who install GeoExchange systems their choice of an 85-gallon super-efficient water heater or an 18-inch satellite dish system.
Promotional materials also include a fuel cost comparison, showing that a heat pump costs $5.86 per million BTUs of useful heat, compared to $6.30 for high-efficiency fuel oil and $12.06 for high-efficiency propane systems.
Environmental and safety benefits also receive attention. The materials discuss the lack of open flames, the way the system uses the earth as its heat source, the absence of storage tanks, and quiet operation.
Plumas-Sierra employees also inform customers about the advantages of ground-source heat pumps. "The construction and new member department solicits everyone who comes through the door. And every lead gets a videotape with information about GeoExchange systems."
Thomas explained that the video makes the complex system easier to understand. It gives customers a visual image of how the system works.
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Websites:
For more information, call Thomas at 1-800-555-2207. |
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