I've been working with several small business clients in Hartford and Eversource has really stepped up their energy efficiency programs for companies under 500kW. Their new Small Business Energy Advantage program offers free energy assessments and up to $15,000 in rebates for qualifying improvements. The paperwork is minimal compared to their old programs and approval times are down to 2-3 weeks. Has anyone seen similar improvements with other utilities' small business offerings?
Small business energy programs - what's working in your area?
Alabama Power launched something similar last year but the execution has been terrible. They promise free assessments but then take 6-8 weeks to schedule and the rebate processing is still stuck in the stone age. Had a restaurant client wait 4 months for a $3,500 LED rebate that should have been straightforward. The program looks good on paper but the implementation needs work.
PNM here in Albuquerque has a decent small business program but the income restrictions are ridiculous. They want tax returns going back three years and have these complicated formulas based on square footage and employee count. Meanwhile the local electric co-op has a simple program where you just apply online and get approved in days. Sometimes the smaller utilities are way more customer-friendly than the big investor-owned companies.
Duquesne Light's small business rebates are solid but you have to know how to work the system. They have separate programs for different equipment types and the rebate amounts vary wildly depending on which bucket your project falls into. Got $8,000 for HVAC upgrades at a bakery by splitting the project across two different program categories. The key is understanding their internal program structure which isn't exactly transparent.
Seattle City Light has the best small business program I've seen anywhere. Flat rebates based on energy savings projections, online application portal that actually works, and they pay rebates within 30 days of project completion. They even have a pre-approval option so businesses know exactly what they'll get before starting work. If other utilities could copy their approach it would be huge for small business energy adoption.