In partnership with Boone Electric Cooperative and Ameren Missouri, the City of Columbia Utilities Department is hosting an Energy Expo for the first time in nearly a decade. The event will be held at the Boone Electric Cooperative Community Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m on Saturday, Oct. 12.
This event will allow mid-Missouri residents and community members to learn about all things energy – from safety to efficiency to conservation. It will be an open house format, where people can come and go as they like.
Todd McVicker, the utilities services division supervisor for the city, said people can learn about how energy impacts them and how to conserve energy at the expo.
“The impact we’re hoping to have on the community is a better understanding of all things energy and how all things energy are affected in Missouri,” McVicker said. “The idea is to provide an opportunity with all of us in conjunction for people to come by to get any general questions they have regarding energy answered.”
Additionally, one of the topics that will be presented at the event is the misconceptions people have about the relation between solar panels and finances.
Laura Baker, the manager of member services at Boone Electric Cooperative, said some residents have the wrong understanding of how energy efficiency affects their bills.
“There is a misconception about – in our area – that if they install solar panels, they will have no bill, and that’s not true, not with any of the three entities,” Baker said. “That’s something we’re trying to bring awareness to.”
Boone Electric, along with the city of Columbia and Ameren, will be present at the expo, answering questions and talking to community members about the importance of energy conservation and ways to promote energy efficiency. There will also be refreshments, door prizes, giveaways, and a place for children to play. More information is available at the Boone Electric Cooperative and City of Columbia’s Facebook pages and websites.