It’s looking like we’re in for another hot dry summer, leading to concerns that we might see a repeat of last year’s rolling blackouts.
The mayors of San Jose, Oakland, Fresno and Bakersfield, are calling on residents to join in a campaign to reduce power consumption and they’re making a friendly competition out of it.
The cities partnered with OhmConnect, a service that pays residents for their energy savings, to launch the City Energy Challenge.
Residents who sign up for OhmConnect will be given a free smart thermostat for their home and whichever city manages to get the largest share of its residents to join will win $50,000 in educational scholarships.
“I know that my other mayors are as committed to winning as I am,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “Not only will you receive a free smart thermostat, but you will save money on your electricity bill and you will get paid to become essentially a virtual power plant,”
Organizers explained that small steps, like waiting until after peak hours to wash laundry, can add up and ultimately prevent blackouts.