About IDEAL Energy Cooperative
Profitable. Proven. Here for You.
IDEAL Energy Cooperative is a purchasing cooperative of privately held fuel delivery, service, and HVAC energy distributors. We are member-owned and committed to the vitality and profitability of local fuel and service providers by aggregating our purchasing power for fuel, equipment and business service with our supplier/vendor partner network.
We offer savings, rebates and patronage payouts with no annual fees. Our member-owner and partner network elevates operational excellence and efficiency through exclusive networking, intel, panel discussions, and most importantly, cooperative relationships.
Come thrive with us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Member-Owner Benefits
rebates
Earn Rebates by doing business with our Partner Network. You might qualify already!
direct savings
Partners offer exclusive savings for IDEAL Owners &
NO Annual Fees!
networking
Join our network of fellow IDEAL Owners and Partners who share their expertise on all topics with you!
intel
Stay one step ahead of your competition with Owner meetings, panel discussions & urgent briefs!
$1M+
in Rebates Earned since 2021
89%
Owners ROI’d their investment through Direct Savings alone
94%
of Owners have ROI’d by Patronage Payouts to Date
WE UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS
Our Member-Owners deliver fuel and HVAC services with commitment to their local communities - 24/7/365.
Emergencies require some sacrifice to our comfort so our neighbors can stay warm.
This does not go unnoticed in our communities.
Join IDEAL Energy Cooperative and contribute to stronger local energy security.
WHAT IS IDEAL ENERGY COOPERATIVE?
The purpose of our cooperative is to develop trusted, reliable, locally owned and operated fuel, service and HVAC providers who face challenges in retail energy.
We do that by supporting independent, local energy retailers through a multi-stakeholder purchasing cooperative.
We are Member-Owners cooperating within the IDEAL community to maintain local fuel and equipment supply chains with our Supplier and Vendor Partners.
COOPERATIVE BENEFITS
PURCHASING POWER
We aggregate Owners' purchasing power to lower fuel, equipment, and essential business service costs.
BEST PRACTICES
We elevate Owners' operational excellence through Owner-driven best practices and benchmarking.
INDUSTRY BRANDING
Building a consumer energy brand
Fuel-Local.com
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How do I become an Owner?Our Member-Owners are privately held providers of fuel, service and HVAC. Schedule a 15-minute introduction to learn more about our proven, profitable cooperative. IDEAL’s management will reach out personally to set up a confidential in-person or virtual presentation. Our Owners typically refer potential energy distributors, but you can request to be a Member-Owner by contacting our team. The Board of Directors will review any prospective Owners who have signed the NDA and finalize your membership. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Join button!
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How does IDEAL work as a purchasing cooperative?Vetted Supplier and Vendor Partners offer incentive-based goods and/or services to IDEAL Owners with upfront savings, retroactive rebates and IDEAL exclusive programs. Annually, profits are distributed as patronage, reflecting each Owner's proportionate involvement in Partner programs. Owners also gain from IDEAL Energy's expert insights, advisory services, and networking opportunities, empowering them to make shrewd, financially rewarding decisions for their businesses.
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Should I be concerned about my competitors who also join?We like to say that Member-Owners can “compete on the street but cooperate in IDEAL”. We keep all information and discussion with our Owners completely confidential. IDEAL maintains this strict confidentiality throughout all communications and discussions, in fact, we have had Owners refer their competitors because they are respected operators that would benefit from membership in the cooperative. We believe our greatest competitors are the large corporate, multi-national, and interstate retailers.
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Am I able to maintain relationships with my current Suppliers and Vendors?Yes! We prioritize fostering long-term connections between our Owners and their suppliers and vendors. This commitment is evident in our IDEAL program, which strengthens these existing relationships by providing suppliers and vendors with valuable support on behalf of our Owners. We also encourage our Owners to recommend trusted partners, fostering new and positive relationships within our network.
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You do not list my current Supplier or Vendor as a Partner, what happens now?No problem. Refer them for Partnership with IDEAL, and we will contact, vet, and invite those partner referrals to grow with us!
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I am busy. How much time commitment is required?IDEAL understands you are trying to run a business because all of our members are 24/7/365 energy distributors! We keep this in mind when designing our programs and communication resources, so that most are accessible when participants are available. Remember, cooperatives do for their members that which is difficult to do themselves, saving Owners time! Our Annual Meeting and Networking event is a required time commitment for Owners (or their proxies), typically 2.5 hours once a year with an online option.
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Is there an Investment to join?Yes. Each Owner buys into an equity share along with a voting share. All Owners have the same ownership % and equal voting rights under the Cooperative’s by-laws. As this information is proprietary, the Board requires a prospective Owner to be privately-held, sign an NDA and attend an introductory presentation. A one-time initiation fee is assessed upon acceptance into the cooperative.
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Are there any additional fees?Currently there are no annual fees as long as the Owner or their proxy attends the Annual Meeting and Networking, event which can be fulfilled in person or online.
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Are there exclusive markets?No. Unlike buying groups or franchises, our cooperative uses member and partner referrals and seek those who meet our standards and adhere to our membership criteria.