All of us pay a price to consume energy. We pay to fuel our cars and to heat and cool our homes. Energy is the engine of the State's industrial and business economy. DCEO's Division of Energy promotes the efficient use of energy resources through a variety of technical and demonstration programs.
The Division of Energy also teaches residents, students, teachers, community and business leaders about important energy issues through educational outreach and energy conservation programs. The Division supports research and demonstrations of energy technologies, identifies innovative means of financing energy efficiency improvements and uses a variety of educational programs to transfer these cost-effective technologies and information to both the private and public sectors of the Illinois economy.
![Energy efficient lights](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20080916235642im_/http://www.commerce.state.il.us/NR/rdonlyres/61F35424-2FCE-4711-B296-995F8E90F14A/0/energconveff.gif)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
Energy efficiency investments in Illinois’ economy brings strong and diverse benefits, including protecting consumers and businesses from higher energy prices, improving electric reliability by reducing congestion on the electricity grid, supporting the retention of manufacturing jobs by reducing manufacturing energy costs and supporting the manufacture of new high-efficiency products, hedging risk against fuel price volatility, supporting public health and the environmental quality by reducing energy waste, and helping to keep Illinois’ energy dollars in the local economy. Click on the link above for more information on DCEO's energy efficiency programs.
![Solar Panels](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20080916235642im_/http://www.commerce.state.il.us/NR/rdonlyres/0FB0C896-EE5C-462F-BEB2-F2D10FFF1FF6/0/altrenew.jpg)
CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAMS
Illinois boasts significant potential for renewable power and heating: wind, solar, and biogas offer both economic and environmental benefits. Wind energy costs have fallen significantly, and modern wind farms provide both stable income for farmers and significant property tax revenues for local governments. Biogas facilities allow livestock owners to transform wastes from pollution into clean energy, and solar thermal technologies offer an increasingly cost-effective alternative to volatile natural gas prices. Illinois strongly supports the development of these resources. Click on the link above for more information on DCEO's clean energy programs.
![corn](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20080916235642im_/http://www.commerce.state.il.us/NR/rdonlyres/862BD803-FC4A-48D3-BA03-B2FAE414EFFB/0/corn_pictures.jpg)
RENEWABLE FUELS PROGRAMS
Home-grown fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel reduce Illinois' dependence on foreign oil, keep energy dollars in the local economy, support local corn and soybean prices, and make a cleaner and healthier environment for Illinois. Illinois is the one of the nation's largest ethanol producers, and is working hard to maintain leadership in biofuels technology development and production. Click on the link above for more information on DCEO's renewable fuels programs.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is a proud partner of ENERGY STAR®. ENERGY STAR qualified products and practices help you save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE. The ENERGY STAR label also designates superior energy performance in homes and buildings.