Identifying Energy Rebates Delivers Bottom-Line Benefits
August 30, 2012
I’m Steve Schuster, associate editor of
Maintenance Solutions magazine. Today's topic discusses energy rebates.
Since the 1970s, utility companies have offered commercial and institutional customers rebate and incentive programs. The utilities' goal is to reduce demand-capacity requirements they otherwise would have to make up by expanding their generation and distribution systems. These rebate programs provide utility customers with incentives. Customers install energy-efficient equipment and systems, and the result is lower purchase or installation costs via cash rebates or discounts.
Today, rebate and incentive programs still are going strong, and the time has never been better for maintenance and engineering managers to undertake retrofit projects in their facilities targeting energy efficiency. Some utilities offer incentives to install specific, energy-efficient products, such as lighting, motors, and cool roofs.
Other incentives are based on achieved savings, and still others encourage facilities to take part in specific operational strategies, such as demand response and retrocommissioning.
By understanding the specific goals of utility rebate programs and lining up incentives targeting the most appropriate facility retrofits and upgrades, managers can deliver benefits to their organizations' bottom lines.
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