ExxonMobil funds weatherization training

Oil companies understand efficiency, and they spend a lot of money making their own operations as energy efficient as possible. Now, ExxonMobil Corp. donated $5 million to the National Community Action Foundation (NCAF) for weatherization worker training programs.

It’s the largest private contribution to community organizations that work with the US Department of Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program, said David Bradley, NCAF executive director.

“Weatherization has become quite a hot topic,” Bradley said, adding that weatherization job training will help provide workers with skills that they can use for sustainable, life-long careers.

The recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act increases funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program. Bradley said NCAF and ExxonMobil already were discussing a partnership before weatherization was included in the economic stimulus package President Barack Obama signed Feb. 17.

Sherman Glass, president of ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Co., said “energy efficiency and economic development go hand in hand.” He noted that ExxonMobil plans to spend $500 million “over the next few years” improving energy efficiency at its own operations worldwide, both upstream and downstream.

The Obama administrative wants to see 1 million low-income homes/year receive weatherization.

Established in 1976, the DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to permanently reduce energy bills by improving energy efficiency in their homes. Since its inception, more than 6.2 million homes have been weatherized. In 2008, the program helped create 21,000 jobs.