The Sierra Club and OhmConnect Partner to Stop Customer Energy Savings Going Unpaid

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sierra Club and OhmConnect have announced a partnership in California that provides energy customers the opportunity to receive the payments they are entitled to when they save energy at specific times. Similar to the existing state program Flex Alert, customers are asked to reduce their energy use when the energy grid is at risk of turning on the worst-polluting power plants. However, under this new program with OhmConnect, energy customers can receive payments for their participation.

In an effort to educate customers and deliver the compensation that individuals are entitled to when they reduce their energy use, the Sierra Club has partnered with OhmConnect to pilot its free energy-reduction service with its members and supporters, beginning with a sixmonth initiative in regions of California including the Greater Bay Area (serviced by PG&E), Los Angeles and Orange Counties (serviced by SCE), and San Diego (serviced by SDG&E). OhmConnect's energy reduction events, known as #OhmHours, have gained popularity across the Bay Area and Southern California as communities have sought effective methods to reduce local pollution and easily enable a way to receive the energy reimbursements that they are entitled to.

The size of the Sierra Club membership in California creates a formidable community to reduce energy demand and eliminate electricity generated from power plants that excessively pollute local communities and disproportionately contribute to climate change. 

When Sierra Club supporters participate in #OhmHours, a portion of their earnings are donated directly to the Sierra Club. "This program provides an opportunity for any Sierra Club supporter in these regions of California who pays a utility bill to help pave the way to a clean energy future for California through simple energy reductions, and to help support the organization's advocacy for clean air, clean water, and transitioning to a 100 percent renewablepowered future," said Jesse Simons, Sierra Club Chief of Staff. 

Recent energy policy developments, such as FERC Order 745, have enabled this type of innovative program. Under these policies, residential energy customers can reduce their energy use and have those reductions sold into California's electricity market, known as the California ISO, at wholesale prices.

Tony Brunello, President of MoreThanSmart.org, a leading customer advocate for energy policy, has added, "This partnership is an example of California's energy innovation led by companies like OhmConnect.  It empowers Californians with more control over collective energy costs and creates healthier communities by relying less on polluting power plants."

"Not only are we helping Sierra Club members do their part to combat climate change, but by offering them free and easy tools to help reduce their collective carbon footprint, we're able to also help drive donations to an organization dedicated to moving the country toward 100% renewable energy and preserving and protecting our environment," stated Curtis Tongue, cofounder of OhmConnect.  

About OhmConnect
Since 2013, OhmConnect has worked to simplify consumer energy through behavioral energy reductions and smart device automation. OhmConnect enables thousands of California energy customers to earn weekly PayPal payments for timely, smarter home energy use.  Anyone who uses any of the three major California energy suppliers: Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric can sign up for free at https://www.ohmconnect.com/sierra-club. Follow us on Twitter @OhmConnect, see our OhmConnect Blog, or check us out on Facebook and LinkedIn.  Download the free OhmConnect app from iTunes or Google Play.

About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters nationwide. The Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.

SOURCE Ohmconnect