Consolidation in the energy service company (ESCO) market is expected to continue through the remainder of this decade, resulting in an industry structure concentrated to a large extent in a group of very large companies focused on serving the federal government, according to a new report from Pike Research.

Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) is lending $1 million for “Campus Efficiency Now,” a new program aimed at advancing energy efficiency and promoting cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy for Connecticut’s independent colleges.

NORESCO announced that it has secured a $7.9 million energy savings performance contract with Bedford County (BC) and Bedford County Public Schools (BCPS) in Virginia. The project is funded by reductions in energy and water usage over a 15-year contract term, with no upfront cost to taxpayers.

Under a comprehensive $4.9 million energy savings performance contract (ESPC) with Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN), the Building Technologies division of Siemens Industry Inc. announced that Manchester Memorial Hospital should save nearly $500,000 a year in utility consumption.

Ameresco’s energy savings performance contract for Austin Energy’s Domain District Cooling Plant includes the installation of a new chilled water storage system that will help reduce the plant’s peak electricity usage by shifting the chilled water load and associated electric consumption from on-peak to off-peak hours.

Ameresco Inc. announced that it has completed the purchase of substantially all of the assets of Ennovate Corp., an energy service company active throughout Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.