MVGA Natural Gas Program

You can view the following introductory documents about the MVGA Natural Gas Program by clicking the links in the list below:

Energy Purchasing Program

Administered by Maumee Valley Growers Assoc., Directed by Palmer Energy Co.

Would you like to reduce your natural gas costs?

Northwest Ohio greenhouse growers have come together to form the Maumee Valley Growers (MVG), an industry-based association committed to sustaining and growing our greenhouse industry. All growers benefit by working together through a collaborative process, and sharing resources and knowledge to identify solutions to commonly shared problems.

Maumee Valley Growers Association are committed to the following principles:

Marketing only the highest quality plants possible under the Maumee Valley Growers logo
Increasing demand through awareness and preference of quality, locally grown products from our regional growers
Improving grower efficiency and profits through joint problem solving and networking to share best practices and resources
Growing our local economy by supporting area businesses that supply our northwest Ohio greenhouse/nursery network.

Expert in Energy:

You can depend on real-time market opportunities, customized one-on-one service, and maximum cost saving results.

Palmer Energy is:

An independent energy expert
An objective third party client partner
Not a marketer, broker, or utility, but an integral member of a client's fuel management team

Our Expert Energy Services Include:

Energy consulting
Energy procurement, including buying, selling, and transporting
Energy investment
Customized gas management services

Energy Contract Negotiation for:

Natural gas supply
Interstate pipeline capacity
Local utility delivery
Electric purchase and sales
Gas utility pipeline bypasses

Developing Natural Gas & Electrical Procurement Strategies for:

Existing industrial and commercial operations
Cogeneration and power plant projects
Price analysis and management
Utility/Supplier negotiation
Utility rate analysis

Growers Energy Solutions

Managed by growers, for growers to:

Lower Basis Costs
Combine Greenhouse Loads
Employ Hedging Strategies to Maximize Savings

Advised by Regional Boards made up of Grower Representatives and Energy Experts

Coordinated by Statewide Board with Delegation from Regional Board Members

Just the Facts

All Greenhouse growers are eligible for this program administered by the Maumee Valley Growers (a program of University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center) with support from Palmer Energy, a 25 year old company headquartered in Toledo.

MVG began saving money on utilities for more than 25 growers in Northwest Ohio in late summer 2006. We are offering the program statewide beginning in the fall of 2007.

Not a co-op, Growers Energy Solutions is a 100% voluntary program designed to allow individual greenhouse natural gas users to join together. creating a larger entity with greater purchasing advantages.

MVG understands the agricultural business with its challenges and special concerns.

MVG charges a small per unit fee, added into the basis portion of your gas bill. Historically, with this charge, you still pay extremely competitive basis charges and have an energy consultant working for you. Fees are used for program administration.

Palmer Energy has been selected to facilitate the procurement of natural gas and implement various basis and hedge strategies. Palmer Energy is a fully independent energy consulting firm with no interest in suppliers or utilities, ensuring unbiased representation on your behalf.

Regional and statewide boards are seamlessly integrated to represent the members collectively on issues related to and responsible for the natural gas purchase including RFP's, basis procurement, and hedging strategy.

Agreements to procure your natural gas will be signed with MVG. After one year, quarterly or longer term hedges may be implemented by the program.

You benefit as your energy costs go down. Historically, growers have saved 8%-15% NET annually off their gas costs. (after unit fees)

GES Brochures and Newsletters

GES Ohio Brochure

GES Michigan Brochure

Ohio Newsletters	Michigan Newsletters
March 2008	March 2008
February 2008	February 2008
January 2008	January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007

Contact Information:

Joe Perlaky
Program Manager, Maumee Valley Growers Assoc.
Urban Affairs Center
Mail Stop 404
2801 W. Bancroft St .
Toledo , Ohio 43606-3390
(419) 356-4847 Cell
(419) 530-3548 Fax
joseph.perlaky@utoledo.edu
www.maumeevalleygrowers.com

Kirkland Mizerek
Consultant, Palmer Energy Co.
Palmer Energy Co.
2455 N. Reynolds Road
Toledo , Ohio 43615
(419) 539-9180 Phone
(419) 539-9185 Fax
kmizerek@palmerenergy.com
www.palmerenergy.com

GES Advisory Board

Paul Barco Barco & Sons, Inc. 6650 Branch Road Medina, OH 44256 330-725-5400 liberty@ohio.net	Gus Corso Corso’s Greenhouse & Flower Garden Center 3404 Milan Road Sandusky, OH 44870 419-626-0765 gus@corsosperennials.com

Jeff Creque Jeff Creque Farms, Inc. 9700 Sylvania Avenue Sylvania, OH 43560 419-829-2941 jeffcreque@earthlink.net	David Cuthbert Cuthbert Greenhouse, Inc. 4900 Hendron Road Groveport, OH 43125 740-869-7676 dlcuthbert@cuthbertgreenhouse.com

Elmer Diefenbacher Diefenbacher Greenhouses 11443 Colerain Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45252 513-741-8455 terryd@dgi.cc	Mark Frye Palmer Energy Company 2455 N. Reynolds Road Toledo, OH 43615 419-539-9180 mfrye@palmerenergy.com

Mark Hecklinger Hecklinger Greenhouse 1914 Seaman Road Toledo, OH 43605 419-691-6105 mdh8@toast.net	Walt Krueger Lakewood Greenhouse, Inc. 909 Lemoyne Road Northwood, OH 43619 419-691-3541 lakewoodgreenhouse@midohio.twcbc.com

Kirkland Mizerek Palmer Energy Company 2455 N. Reynolds Avenue Toledo, OH 43615 419-539-9180 kmizerek@palmerenergy.com	Larry Ohlman Ohlman Farm Greenhouse, Inc 3901 Hill Avenue Toledo, OH 43607 419-536-1939 larryo@ohlmangreenhouse.com

Joe Perlaky Maumee Valley Growers University Of Toledo Office of Research Toledo, OH 43606 419-356-4847 joseph.perlaky@utoledo.edu

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