North
East Arizona Energy Services Company
(NEA-ESCO)
S
Our Mission is to be an active agent creating avenues, methods and
techniques to make us (at least in our region of the United States) “whole”,
or “well”; to assist in turning the corner into a better “relationship to
the earth”.
NEA-ESCO
accomplishes its mission on two major fronts:
the societal and the personal.
On
the societal front: North East
Arizona Energy Services Company has one overriding goal: be instrumental in the installation of 500 solar systems on
homes and buildings in the counties of Apache, Navajo, Coconino and Yavapai by
the year 2010
The
lack of affordable solar systems and the lack of adequate financing options are
now the primary targets. Most all
of our efforts will be focused on correcting these shortcomings.
We must do what we can at creating affordable systems and providing
adequate financing options. Everything
else comes more easily as a result of getting the first two goals accomplished.
Our current areas of activity:
(1)
Starting with one county (Apache) “Off-Grid”, we proposed a $3 million
dollar grant for purposes of 50% rebate on cost of installations of homes that
do not currently have utility connections.
(While the Dept of Agriculture’s initial answer was “No, not this
time.” They encouraged us to
resubmit in the next round because of the limit of funds in the first round of
their grant offering. Their letter
made us believe that we are highly qualified for approval.)
This
is our first task of helping those in our immediate area with the need for
electricity in their homes. These
households (found in our research) had no utility connection whatsoever.
We would help by creating a rebate program specifically designed for
off-grid homes in the defined areas. We
have requested Navopache Electric Cooperative to join us in this effort.
The census tracts involved fall within the coverage area of Navopache.
This combined effort will help the homeowners afford electricity by
rebating a portion of the cost of installation of solar systems.
This first task can be repeated to benefit other needy areas of Arizona.
(2) Going “On-Grid” statewide as a totally “green” rural utility
cooperative, “Arizona Clean Distributed Energy Cooperative (AC/DeC)”.
We have written a “Business Plan and Proforma” and presented it to
the USDA for assistance. It is now
in Washington DC. The Department of
Agriculture is deliberating the need for feasibility study and legal fees. We
believe it obviously passed the initial review with the State of Arizona to have
been passed on to Washington.
This is a study of the “On-Grid” participation of Arizona
residents in their interest in supporting clean, renewable electricity.
The result of this study led us to propose the creation of a new Electric
Service Provider, a rural utility cooperative.
This cooperative would produce and sell only clean, renewable electricity…mostly
solar energy without reliance on outside sources.
An extensive and comprehensive Business Plan and Proforma, modeled for
all rural Arizona citizens is the result. While
exhausting, (it is currently approximately 96 pages in length and contains
complete analysis on the current Arizona electricity generation and sales
situation, the anticipated market and approach, income and sales projections and
legal foundation and engineering feasibility results) we believe the labors will
bare fruit and a new company “AC/DeC” or “Arizona Clean Distributed Energy
Cooperative” will be born. And
while we do not anticipate thunderous success in the first few years (just 30
new members per year will insure that it always stays in the “black”) this
new company can continue, year after year, growing and serving Arizona.
(3) The municipalities of North East Arizona are next with the “performance
contracting” facilitation. With
computer software in hand, we are planning to initiate meetings with the
municipalities in our area to assist in determining feasibility of upgrading all
municipal buildings to clean renewable. We
believe municipalities would be more active in upgrading their buildings if they
were not so strapped financially. They simply cannot afford to have one of their employees “side-tracked”
into the evaluation of feasibilities of this nature.
We hope to fill this gap by volunteering our time and expertise to the
municipalities and thus expedite the upgrades (of course with clean, renewable
technology.) Our
counseling teams will go into each municipality that indicates a willingness to
research better, cleaner sustainable ways of energy utilization.
The team consists of one member of NEA-ESCO and one representative of an
“energy service company”. These
counseling teams will introduce local governments to the concept of “performance
contracting”—a function provided by governmentally approved energy service
companies. Performance contracting guarantees the municipalities that
their utility bills will not increase while retrofitting their buildings with
clean, renewable technology. Our
teams will guide the process and assist in obtaining successful results.
(4) We are initiating action on the state level by helping to establish an
office for the purpose of creating a rebate program similar to California’s.
The Energy Office of California has assisted us by giving us facts and
figures on their program, its costs and effectiveness.
We will put together a formal proposal to the proper political
authorities for approval and enactment. Arizona,
while rich in clean renewable generation potential, remains as one of the states
lagging behind in active promotion of the use of this technical achievement.
Arizona must take on the responsibility of orchestrating a brighter
energy future. We must follow the
lead that California provides. Solar
technology has not yet reached affordability for our citizenry.
We must encourage our leaders to provide the proper incentives to its
citizens by way of a statewide rebate system.
North East Arizona Energy Services Company proposes to help the Arizona
Corporations Commission in actualizing a viable rebate program.
It is very obvious
that the tasks described above are ambitious.
Each one could by itself satisfy the goal of achieving 500 solar roofs by
2010. Each one has the potential of
turning our way of seeing our relationship with the earth around.
Any one of these tasks could be the catalyst in achieving a new momentum.
We must be the catalyst to MAKE IT HAPPEN, not just talk about it.
We must educate and train, a lot of that education and training will
naturally occur with the exposure of real new feasibilities, such as is
encompassed in actual application for an expediting of installations of solar
panels. But a lot of it will have
to come from us through our efforts using the media.
On
the personal front, North East Arizona Energy Services Company has one
overriding goal: be instrumental in
changing 500 lives (personalities) into earth connected, love motivated
individuals by building self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance in an
environment where few of those qualities were prevalent, and do this before
2010.
Our
current areas of activity:
Initiate
a new program “Warriors for Peace”. This
program will bring the martial art Aikido (or the “Way of Peace and Harmony”)
to the White Mountains of Arizona. The
creator of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba (Japanese)
Master Ueshiba maintained that “aiki is love”,
and that it is possible to handle aggression with a smile.
The supreme challenge of a warrior is to turn an enemy’s fearful wrath
into harmless laughter.
The Art of Peace does not rely on weapons or brute
force to succeed; instead, we put ourselves in turn with the universe, maintain
peace in our own realms, nurture life, and prevent death and destruction.
The true meaning of the term samurai is one who serves and adheres
to the power of love.
NEA-ESCO has initiated classes of Aikido in the White Mountains. As a part of its “Warriors of Peace” program, these classes will occur on two high school campuses Show Low High and Blue Ridge High. We believe that this activity will directly reduce the occurrences of violence and increase personality positive characteristics.
"White Mountain Community Drums" This program will actively get members of the community together in an emotionally powerful bonding experience. Any member of the community is invited to become involved in monthly sessions.