Utility holding firm Xcel Energy and its Home Energy Squad program partner CLEAResult will transition the program fleet to fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs). The Home Energy Squad will use the first fully electric EV starting this month.
The transition to EVs will play the dual purpose of illustrating the firms’ commitment to sustainability and demonstrating the benefits of EVs to consumers.
Xcel Energy Program Manager Rob O’Connell said, “The combination of the used EV inventory, tax credits, manufacturer rebates, and local dealership incentives have made it easier and more affordable than ever to drive electric. Our Home Energy Squad is capitalizing on this exciting time and taking real action to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability to our customers and the industry as a whole.”
James Russell, the CLEAResult practice director said, “We're inspired by the opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of fleet electrification with Xcel Energy, as championing EV adoption is one important way that we are changing the way people use energy. With this initiative we’re able to advance CLEAResult’s own sustainability efforts while demonstrating the same cutting-edge solutions that we’re advising for use with our clients. We look forward to sharing our process and tools as a model for other utilities to accelerate EV adoption, and showing how the Home Energy Squad now conveys to Xcel Energy’s customers that EV adoption is not only possible, but practical.”
Xcel Energy and CLEAResult have conducted Home Energy Audits together in Colorado and offered suggestions for energy-saving improvements over more than five years. Their recommendations have included the installation of LED lights, smart thermostats and energy-efficient technologies for better natural gas and electricity savings.
