The cost of innovation

Volunteers have devoted hundreds of hours to getting the Energy Innovation Task Force off the ground, but some of the initiative’s activities have required cold hard cash. Here’s where that money has come from.

Buncombe County

$135,000 committed to date

  • $50,000 to fund research performed by the Rocky Mountain Institute
  • $60,000 in grant matching funds for weatherization upgrades for low-income homeowners
  • $25,000 for project coordinator salary and overhead

City of Asheville

$116,240 committed to date

  • $50,000 to fund research performed by the Rocky Mountain Institute
  • $15,000 in grant matching funds for weatherization upgrades for low-income homeowners
  • $25,000 for project coordinator salary and overhead
  • $26,240 in city staff resources (labor)

Duke Energy Progress

$585,000 committed as of November 2017

  • Rocky Mountain Institute study of peak energy demand in Western North Carolina
  • Shelton Group marketing consulting services
SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Virginia Daffron
Managing editor, lover of mountains, native of WNC. Follow me @virginiadaffron

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.