State and Utility
Energy Management
Incentive Guide

 INFORMATION  SUBJECT  TO  CHANGE.
Contact state PUC for latest information

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Matching Money

State and Utility Energy-Efficiency Initiatives can mean big bucks to end-users. Whether it’s demand-side management money to upgrade lighting, HVAC and energy management systems, or load-response efforts that allow facilities to gain credit for curtailing energy use, the initiatives and services listed in this guide can have a bottom-line impact on energy-management efforts.

Alabama

Energy Division, Dept. of Economic and Community Affairs
401 N. Adams Ave.
Box 5690
Montgomery, Ala. 36103
Voice: (334) 242-5292
Fax: (334) 242-0552

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Alabama Power offers real-time pricing to large customers. Several options are available to mitigate the risk associated with the price uncertainty of real-time pricing, including price- protection products and an option where time-of-use pricing is applied only to the months of July and August.

Alabama Power also offers rebates for new energy-efficient electric water heaters and heat-pump water heaters.

The Science Technology and Energy Division in the Department of Economic and Community Affairs offers several Energy Conservation Programs.

The Industrial Energy Advisory Service (IDEA$) provides technical assistance to industry, small business, and institutions to help reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.

 

Alaska

Alaska Energy Authority
813 W. Northern Lights Blvd.
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Voice: (907) 269-3000
Fax: (907) 269-3044

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs available.

Initiatives:
The Alaska Division of Energy provides technical support for energy-saving retrofits, no-cost/low-cost energy-saving measures, and procurement/purchase of high-efficiency products.

The Alaska Energy Authority helps develop alternative energy programs to develop projects that reduce the cost of energy and use locally available energy resources. Current efforts include: biomass fuels, coal and natural gas, conservation, fuel cells and energy storage, hydroelectric and tidal energy and wind-powered projects.

Anchorage Municipal Light and Power offers energy audits to business customers through its Energy Partnership Program.

Chugach Electric Association offers energy audits to commercial customers.

Golden Valley Electric Association offers rebates for lighting efficiency upgrades through their Business $ense program of up to $1,000 per kw saved or 50 percent of project cost.

Rural Alaskans Conserve Energy (RACE) is a state-sponsored program for rural schools and communities to improve efficiency with lighting retrofits. The Alaska Energy Authority also provides assistance for energy-efficiency demonstration projects in rural communities. These typically involve lighting retrofits or the installation of motion sensors.

 

Arizona

Energy Office, Arizona Dept. of Commerce
3800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1500
Phoenix, Ariz. 85012
Voice: (602) 280-1300
Fax: (602) 280-1445

Overview: The state has no commercial or industrial energy-efficiency programs, or any demand-response programs available.

 

Arkansas

Department of Economic Development One Capitol Mall
Little Rock, Ark. 72201
Voice: (501) 682-1121
Fax: (501) 682-2703
www.aedc.state.ar.us/energy

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Empire District Electric Co. provides various services and equipment sales to commercial and industrial customers. Industrial customers can qualify for an interruptible power program. The utility also offers a lighting retrofit program, analysis, technical courses and energy-usage and rate-design analysis.

Entergy offers a variety of load-management programs. Market-Valued Call Option Service provides customers with credit for curtailing load when notified by the utility during emergency conditions. Participants receive both a monthly reservation payment, which they receive regardless of whether any curtailments are required, and a performance payment based on the load curtailed. Eligibility is limited to customers with at least 1 mw of curtailable load. Entergy’s market-valued energy service provides customers with credit for curtailing load during high price periods. Customers make day-ahead bids to the utility; the utility will confirm bid acceptance. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 1 mw of curtailable load.

The utility’s Energy Reduction Rider credits customers for curtailing load during emergency conditions. Service available to customers with curtailable demand of at least 150 kw.

Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) offers a Curtailable Service Rider in which customers agree to reduce their load upon notification by the utility, in exchange for a credit of approximately $3 per kw. Eligibility is limited to customers with at least 1 mw of curtailable demand. The utility also offers real-time pricing. SWEPCO provides customers with day-ahead, hourly electricity market prices, and customers are alternatively credited or charged, based on the market price, for usage below or above a predefined customer baseline load.

 

California

California Energy Commission
1516 Ninth St., MS #32
Sacramento, Calif. 95814
Voice: (916) 654-4287
No general fax number
www.consumerenergycenter.org

Overview: California’s tribulations with energy supply during the past several years have resulted in aggressive demand-reduction and rebate programs. There are so many utility and government agency incentives that the California Energy Commission (CEC) maintains a database of available programs. A recent search on the database returned nearly 125 incentives for the commercial/industrial sector.

To find out more about available incentives, visit www.consumerenergycenter.org, the CEC’s incentive listing. Site visitors can search for programs sponsored by a particular utility, by business sector, by program offering, or a combination of the three. Twenty-four separate utilities and government agencies are listed as offering incentives. The site is also searchable via eight separate sectors, including: agriculture, cities/counties, business/commercial, construction, distributors, industrial, manufacturers, residential, Title 24 and water/wastewater industries.

Current incentives on the CEC database are listed for the following products or services: 20/20 energy rebate, air conditioner, audits, battery backups, battery storage systems, base interruptible program, boilers, building and design, commercial construction, customer- directed program, dishwashers, distributed systems, discretionary curtailment program, demand-reduction program, ducts, electric vehicles, energy-efficient mortgage, engines, evaporative cooler, food-service, freezer, fuel cell, furnaces/kilns/ovens, gas, general efficiency, generation, heat pump, house fan, HVAC, insulation, internal combustion generator, irrigation, lawn and garden, LED traffic signals, lighting, load management, microturbine, motors, night covers for display cases, mandatory curtailment program, premium-efficiency relocatable classrooms, photovoltaics, power commissioning, process energy, residential contract program, RD&D showcase grants, refrigerator, renewable, residential construction, roofing, shade screen, solar energy, solar thermal, standard performance contract, solar pool heating system, solar water heating, swimming pool, thermostats, Title 24, toilets, voluntary demand-response program, washer/dryer, water heater, water saving, wind and windows.

 

Colorado

Office of Energy Management and Conservation
225 E. 16th Ave., Suite 650
Denver, Colo. 80203
Voice: (303) 894-2383
Fax: (303) 894-2388

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Public Service Co. of Colorado (PSCO) offers a Lighting Solutions program that includes a site review and proposal for an energy-efficient lighting retrofit, with detailed cost-benefit analysis and retrofit coordination if the project is adopted. PSCO retail customers may be eligible for lighting rebates if a demand reduction of 20 kw or greater can be achieved. Interruptible rates are also available from PSCO. There are several options available, including advance notice, interruptible options for secondary service, limitations on the number and duration of interruptions and the ability to combine firm service with interruptible options on the same meter.

 

Connecticut

Office of Policy and Management
450 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, Conn. 06106
Voice: (860) 418-6200
Fax: (860) 418-6495

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) provides rebates for energy-efficient lighting, available to commercial and industrial customers (C&I) with peak demand less than 350 kw. All C&I customers are eligible to receive rebates for room occupancy sensors. The utility also reimburses the cost of an energy audit and offers the Tailored HVAC Program and the Operations and Maintenance Program, both of which provide half the cost for a study of a facility’s related energy systems. The customer’s 50 percent share will be refunded following installation of the recommended energy-saving measures.

CL&P’s Energy Advantage Program provides turnkey, energy-saving products and services for small business customers with average peak demand between 11 and 100 kw. The utility will pay up to 50 percent of the costs for retrofit lighting measures and up to 100 percent of the costs associated with other eligible cost-effective, energy-efficiency installation services. Energy Advantage offers a zero-percent financing option.

CL&P and United Illuminating (UI) both offer the Request For Proposal Program. It allows customers to compete against other projects for energy-efficiency financial assistance to design and implement custom projects. Projects are awarded under this program on a competitive basis based on level of utility incentive requested, cost effectiveness, project comprehensiveness, environmental benefits and project timing.

The two utilities also offer rebates through a variety of energy-efficiency programs. The Northeast Premium-Efficiency Motors Initiative (MotorUp) provides rebates for premium efficiency motors up to 200 hp. The Cool Choice program provides rebates for high-efficiency air conditioners, air-to-air heat pump systems, water-source heat pump systems, packaged terminal air conditioners and packaged terminal heat pumps, up to 30 tons cooling capacity.

Connecticut Office of Policy and Management offers a New Energy Technology (NET) program in which customers can receive grant money for installing energy-saving equipment. Grants are limited to $10,000 and are available only to companies with fewer than 15 employees.

Independent System Operator New England Inc. (ISO-NE) is offering two load-response programs. The Demand-Response Program (Class 1) requires participating customers to commit to mandatory energy reductions on 30-minute notice from ISO-NE. Customers in this program receive payments for their ongoing participation in the program, and additional payments for their energy savings. The Price Response Program (Class 2) allows its participating customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption during certain periods, as determined by ISO-NE. Customers in the Price Response Program only receive payments for the actual energy they curtail.

UI offers the Energy Opportunities Program, which provides free energy audits, co-funded engineering studies, and incentives to customers who retrofit lighting, HVAC and refrigeration. The utility also offers the Energy Blueprint Program, which pays for energy-efficient design upgrades and equipment replacements. The program provides grants for design, incentives for energy-efficient equipment and commissioning, and technical assistance and consulting throughout the project. UI’s Small Business Advantage Program provides cash incentives and interest-free financing for installation of energy-efficiency measures.

 

Delaware

Energy Office, Division of Facilities Management
149 Transportation Circle
Dover, Del. 19901
Voice: (302) 739-5644
Fax: (302) 739-6148

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Conectiv offers the Peak Load Management Rider, which provides customers with credit for reducing load when requested by the utility. Two pricing options exist: $2.63 per kw and $4.38 per kw, each corresponding to a different maximum duration and frequency of curtailment periods. Participation limited to customers who can reduce load by at least 100 kw. Metering equipment provided by the utility.

 

Florida

Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing and Community Development
State Energy Program
2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.
Tallahassee, Fla. 32399
Voice: (850) 488-2475
Fax: (850) 488-7688

Overview: The state has energy efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Florida Power and Light offers real-time pricing in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the hourly market price of electricity, for usage below or above a predetermined customer baseline load profile.
Florida Power and Light also offers rebates for energy-efficient equipment, including lighting, air conditioning, chillers, thermal storage, insulation and window treatments, and other custom measures. Free business energy evaluations are also offered, providing analysis of facility energy use and recommendations for efficiency improvements.

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) offers a variety of resources and services, including the Building Design Assistance Center, which provides free design assistance through plan reviews, building energy simulations, development of construction details, and assistance with the selection of appropriate materials and equipment.

Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) offers free energy audits and low-cost detailed engineering evaluations to commercial and industrial customers.

Tampa Electric Co. (TECO) offers a number of load-management programs. The Conservation Value Program provides rebates for equipment that shifts or reduces energy use during peak periods. TECO’s Load Management Program offers customers credits on their bills for allowing Tampa Electric to control operation of air conditioning or specialized equipment during critical energy-use periods. The utility’s Standby Generator Program provides customers with credits on their electric bill for the portion of the normal facility load that can be served by a standby generator during peak-demand periods.

TECO also offers rebates for energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning. TECO offers free basic energy audits and low-cost energy audits to evaluate energy use and opportunities for efficiency improvements.

 

Georgia

Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority
100 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 2090
Atlanta, Ga. 30303
Voice: (404) 656-0938
Fax: (404) 656-6416

Overview: The state has utility energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Georgia Power and Savannah Electric & Power offer real-time pricing rates, including day-ahead and hour-ahead options, plus financing options via the Energy Solutions programs.
 

Hawaii

Energy, Resources, and Technology Division
235 S. Beretania St., Room 506
Honolulu, Hawaii 96804
Voice: (808) 587-3807
Fax: (808) 586-2536

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECO) offers rebates through its Energy$olutions program for energy-efficient equipment, including lighting, motors, air-conditioning systems, chillers and custom measures. The utility also offers Enhanced Monitoring Services, which provide an energy profile of a facility’s electrical usage and can be used to evaluate its current operations and facilitate load management activities.

Kauai Electric offers the Energy Wise program, which provides rebates to cover 40 percent of the installation cost for energy-efficient retrofits, including lighting, motors, HVAC systems and energy management systems.

 

Idaho

Idaho Department of Water Resources, Energy Division
1301 N. Orchard St.
Boise, Idaho 83706
Voice: (208) 327-7900
Fax: (208) 327-7866

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Avista’s Buy Back of Customer Power program provides credit to customers for voluntarily reducing their demand. Participation is limited to customers with a demand of at least 3,000 kVA, and who can curtail a total of at least 1 mwh during a 24-hour period. The utility also offers the Customer Electric Buy Back Program, which credits customers 5 cents per kwh for reducing energy usage by more than 5 percent from the previous year.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) uses the Demand Exchange Program, an Internet-based, load-reduction bidding program. Participants are alerted to hourly, one-day, and two-day price signals associated with peak load events and are able to post willingness to participate at a price. Eligibility limited to participants able to curtail/generate at least 1 mw.

The Energy Division of Idaho’s Department of Water Resources Energy Division has an Energy Conservation Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans for energy conservation installations with payback periods of less than 10 years. Eligible measures for non-residential users include insulation, energy-efficient lighting, energy-efficient doors, and retrofitting pumps and motors. Other energy conservation measures may be eligible.

Idaho Power offers the Energy Exchange program, which provides customers with a credit for reducing their load during periods of high wholesale energy prices. Idaho Power will notify customers when a load reduction is needed — either the day-of, day-ahead, or two days ahead — and will indicate the hours that the curtailment is needed and the bid price for each hour of the curtailment period. Customers choosing to participate respond with a pledged load reduction of at least 1 mw. Idaho Power also performs energy audits for business customers; the program is designed to reduce at least 1,000 kw in exchange for bill credits.

Utah Power & Light (PacifiCorp) offers the Energy Exchange program, an Internet-based, voluntary demand-reduction program. PacifiCorp posts a price for each hour that a load reduction is needed and customers may respond by pledging to curtail a specified load. Participants are paid for each hour of curtailment based on the measured load reduction. Eligibility is limited to customers who have exceeded 1 mw within the previous year. PacifiCorp’s Energy FinAnswer provides rebates to industrial and commercial power consumers for energy-efficient equipment, including lighting, motors, and HVAC. The program also incorporates a variety of energy-efficiency services, including facility energy analysis, detailed design assistance, competitive financing, commissioning and savings verification.
 

Illinois

Bureau of Energy and Recycling Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Community Affairs
620 E. Adams
Springfield, Ill. 62701
Voice: (217) 785-2009
Fax: (217) 785-2618

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Alliant Energy offers the Performance Contracting Program, which includes project identification, management and financing through energy savings.

Ameren has a Customer Energy Exchange Program that provides credit to commercial and industrial customers for voluntary reduction of usage during peak hours. Credits range from 10 cents to 20 cents per kwh reduced. To qualify for this program, customers must be able to reduce their load by at least 500 kw and must have an interval meter.

The company also offers 10 programs for commercial and industrial facilities. For large customers, a comprehensive analysis of lighting and HVAC usage is available. For all commercial and industrial customers, the company offers wireless metering for facilities, equipment or processes. A compressed air and motor program provide analysis for customers with motors using more than 100 kw of demand. The Exchange Demo allows customers to reduce energy use by 500 kw or more during peak demand in exchange for credits. To qualify, customers need the ability to reduce load by at least 500 kw, plus an interval meter with communications equipment and a fax machine, and a computer with Internet access. Cost of participation ranges from $4 to $21 monthly.

Central Illinois Light Co. offers the Targeted Load Reduction program for customers with on-site generation capacity of at least 250 kw. Participants are paid 25 cents per kwh. To participate, customers must have a data recording meter, dedicated phone line, and must commit to a two-year contract.

Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) offers a variety of load-reduction programs. Contact ComEd to learn more about the Voluntary Load-Reduction program , the Voluntary Load Reduction — Maximum Value program, the Rider 32 — Energy Cooperative program, the Early Advantage program, the Rider 30 program and the Planned Performance Reduction Program. The utility also offers facility energy-efficiency evaluations by ComEd’s engineering team. The team comes to the facility, evaluates the energy systems in use, and makes energy-efficiency recommendations.

The Illinois Bureau of Energy and Recycling oversees the Small Business Energy Program with the aim of providing energy-conservation and energy-efficiency information to Illinois businesses. The program provides financial assistance to a number of small business development centers to expand their marketing, educational and training opportunities to include energy-related educational and technical assistance to Illinois businesses.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) administers state-funded energy initiatives. Recent restructuring provides $3 million of funding for energy-efficiency programs statewide. DCCA also offers the Energy Performance Contracting Program as part of its institutional services for state and local government agencies.

MidAmerican Energy Co.’s EnergyAdvantage® programs are designed to encourage the use of high-efficiency space and water-heating equipment, central air conditioning, lighting and other measures in commercial and industrial buildings.

Alliant, Commonwealth Edison, Illinois Power, Central Illinois Light Co., and MidAmerican Energy all offer real-time pricing programs.

 

Indiana

Energy Policy Division, Indiana Dept. of Commerce
One North Capitol, Suite 700
Indianapolis, Ind. 46204
Voice: (317) 232-8939
Fax: (317) 232-8995

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Cinergy offers the PowerShare Pricing Program, which consists of several options.With the Call Option, customers select a strike price based upon their own estimate of the costs of complying with curtailments. When the day-ahead market prices are projected to be greater than the strike prices, Cinergy can call the option by notifying customers. In exchange for participation, customers receive a guaranteed premium plus an additional energy credit whenever they are called.

The Quote Option program is a day-of curtailment program. Cinergy provides price quotes and interested customers must respond with an estimate of voluntary load reduction within one hour. Cinergy also offers a real-time pricing pilot program. The utility also provides cash incentives to commercial and industrial customers for the purchase and installation of high-efficiency lighting, motors and cooling systems. Eligibility is limited to customers with a demand of less than 500 kw.

The Energy Policy Division (EPD) of the Indiana Department of Commerce has grants, 0-percent loans and incentives available.

Industrial Programs: The Industrial Energy Efficiency Fund (IEEF) is a loan program that helps Indiana businesses increase the energy efficiency of their manufacturing process. Awarded on a quarterly basis, these 0 percent loans are available for the acquisition and installation of energy-efficient equipment.

The Industrial Energy Efficiency Audit (IEEA) grant is a part of the Small Business Energy Initiative. Companies seeking to reduce energy costs may apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to offset the cost of an energy audit. Company matching funds are required.

Energy Research Programs: Indiana Biomass Grant Program assists in the research and implementation of Indiana biomass energy systems. Eligibility for this program is limited to individuals, businesses, universities or institutions that operate in the state of Indiana.

Public Facility Energy Efficiency Program Loans: A school corporation, political subdivision or public library seeking to reduce energy costs may apply for a loan of up to $100,000 to help identify and/or implement energy-efficiency measures. Loans are available at 0 percent interest, and no matching funds are required.

Alternative Energy Systems Grant: This grant program contributes to the improvement of the environment, reduction of dependence on foreign oil and the use of renewable resources. Alternative Energy grants are available in both transportation and non-transportation applications. Maximum grant amounts are $10,000, and matching fund requirements vary.

Indiana-Michigan Power Co. offers Price Curtailable Service to customers who can curtail 1 mva or more. The customer determines the minimum price per kwh at which they would be willing to curtail, the maximum curtailment duration, and the maximum number of curtailment events per year. When notified by the utility, the customer is required to curtail. Payment is based on the actual curtailed load.

Northern Indiana Public Services Co. (NIPSCO) offers free lighting audits.

 

Iowa

Energy Bureau, Energy and Geological Resources Division
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Wallace State Office Building
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Voice: (515) 281.8681
Fax: (515) 281-6794

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Alliant Energy offers several load-reduction programs. In the Market-Based Load Curtailment program, the utility notifies participants with an offer to curtail load, indicating the curtailment hours and a price quote. Acceptance of curtailment offers is voluntary. Two versions of this program are available: day-ahead and day-of, each with different periods of advance notification and price quotes. To participate, customers must be able to curtail 500 kw or more.

As part of Alliant’s Temporary Emergency Load-Curtailment program, participants agree to curtail at least 200 kw when called upon. In exchange, participants receive payment of 40 cents per kwh curtailed, in addition to payments of $50 per month and $50 per curtailment event. The utility also offers a Performance Contracting Program to commercial and industrial customers. Project identification, management and financing of energy-efficiency projects is handled by Alliant and the customer repays the project costs through the energy savings on the utility bill.

Alliant Energy also offers rebates for energy-efficient equipment, including lighting, adjustable-speed motor drives and HVAC equipment.

Iowa Energy Bank program is a fund that provides energy audits, engineering studies, and financing for energy-efficiency improvements; the Bank uses cost savings to repay financing for system improvements.

MidAmerican Energy offers a load-curtailment program in which customers agree to reduce their demand to a level at least 250 kw below their expected load, upon notification. In exchange, participants receive an annual payment of either $36.55 or $32.98 per kw of curtailable load.

The company also offers a family of EnergyAdvantage programs.

Commercial Lighting Program: provides rebates and loans for high-efficiency lighting.
Commercial/Industrial Heating and Cooling Program: provides rebates and low interest loans for high-efficiency natural gas and water-heating equipment and electric heating and cooling equipment.

Customized Building Systems Program: provides rebates or financing for large space heating and cooling systems and control systems not addressed in other EnergyAdvantage programs, such as variable-air-volume conversions, energy-management systems and thermal energy storage.

Early Exchange Program: provides additional incentives to encourage customers to replace older HVAC equipment with new, high-efficiency equipment. The incentives include reimbursement for the cost of an energy analysis and payment based on the kwh savings.

New Construction Program: provides incentives to help offset the initial cost of design and installation for energy-efficient options in new commercial buildings. The incentive is paid to the building owner based upon the kwh savings modeled and verified as installed by the independent modeler. A minimum energy savings of 15 percent is required to qualify. Incentives range from 5 to 14 cents per kwh.

EnergyAdvantage Analysis program: provides reimbursement for 50 percent of the cost of an energy analysis up front, and the remaining 50 percent upon completion of the recommended energy-efficiency measures.

Additionally, MidAmerican offers financing and rebates for thermal storage systems through its Customized Building Systems program.

Peoples Natural Gas (PNG) offers rebates for commercial customers to replace standard natural gas equipment with energy-efficient systems.

The State of Iowa Facilities Improvement Corporation (SIFIC) is a nonprofit corporation that helps state agencies implement energy-efficiency improvements.

 

Kansas

Kansas Corporation Commission
1500 SW Arrowhead Road
Topeka, Kan. 66604
Voice: (785) 271-3100
Fax: (785) 271-3354

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Empire District Electric Co. offers services and equipment sales to commercial and industrial customers. Industrial customers can qualify to participate in an interruptible power program. The utility also offers a lighting retrofit program, analysis, technical courses and energy-usage and rate-design analysis.

Kansas City Power & Light (KCPL) offers load-management programs:

Peak Load Curtailment Credit (PLCC): provides customers with credit for reducing their load upon notification during periods of peak demand. Customers receive a credit of $10 per kw per month for their curtailable load, regardless of whether any curtailment requests are made. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 200 kw curtailable load.

Voluntary Load Reduction Program: provides customers with credit for reducing load during peak periods. KCPL will make requests each time load curtailment is needed, indicating the credit ($/kwh) offered. Interested customers may respond with a commitment to curtail. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 100 kw curtailable load.

Real Time Pricing: allows participants to be alternatively credited or charged based on the day-ahead energy prices for electricity below or above a predetermined customer baseline load.

West Plains Energy (Utilicorp United) offers the Voluntary Load-Reduction Rider, which credits participants for reducing demand during peak periods. The utility contacts customers each time a load reduction is needed, indicating the load-curtailment credit ($/kwh). Interested participants may respond by committing to curtail a specific amount. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 500 kw peak demand.

 

Kentucky

Division of Energy
663 Teton Trail
Frankfort, Ky. 40601
Voice: (502) 564-7192
Fax: (502) 564-7484

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
American Electric Power (AEP) offers two load-management programs:

Emergency Curtailable Service Rider: provides credit, based on curtailed energy use, for reducing load when requested by the utility during emergency conditions.

The Price Curtailable Service Rider: provides credit, based on curtailed energy use, for reducing load when requested by the utility during high price periods. The participant specifies the minimum price as well as the maximum number of days they would be willing to curtail. For both programs, customers must curtail upon notification or be assessed non-performance penalties. Participation limited to customers with a curtailable demand of at least 1 mw.

Cinergy/Union Light Heat and Power offers several load-curtailment options. For the Call Option, customers select a strike price based upon their own estimate of the costs of complying with curtailments. When the day-ahead market prices are projected to be greater than the strike prices, Cinergy can call the option by notifying customers. In exchange for participation, customers receive a guaranteed premium plus an additional energy credit whenever they are called. The Quote Option is a day-of program. Cinergy provides price quotes; interested customers respond with an estimate of the load reduction they will make.

Cinergy/Union Light Heat and Power also offers real-time pricing through the PathWise program, in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the current wholesale prices, for electricity below or above a predetermined customer baseline load.

Kentucky Division of Energy administers a small grant program for Kentucky companies to install technologies that use biomass for energy. Proposals must be submitted to the Southeastern Regional Biomass Energy Program, which is funded by the U.S Department of Energy. They will be competing against other proposals from the southeast region.

Kentucky Utilities Co. (KU) and Louisville Gas and Electric Co. (LG&E) offer the Experimental Load-Reduction Incentive Rider, which provides participants with payment of up to 30 cents per kwh for voluntarily operating standby generation at the request of the utility. To be eligible, the generation must be at least 500 kw and must be on an isolated circuit.

Louisville Gas and Electric also offers free energy audits to commercial and industrial customers.
 

Louisiana

Technology Assessment Division and Energy Section
625 N. 4th St.
P.O. Box 94396
Baton Rouge, La. 94396
Voice: (225) 342-1399
Fax: (225) 342-1397

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Central Louisiana Electric Co. (CLECO) provides the Experimental Scheduled Real-Time Market Pricing Service in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the hourly market price of electricity, for usage below or above a predefined customer baseline load.

Entergy offers a variety of load-management programs. The Market-Valued Call Option Service provides customers with credit for curtailing load when notified by the utility during emergency conditions. Participants receive both a monthly reservation payment, which they receive regardless of whether any curtailments are required, and a performance payment based on the load curtailed. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 1 mw of curtailable load. Entergy’s market-valued energy service provides customers with credit for curtailing load during high price periods. Customers make day-ahead bids to the utility, and the utility will confirm if the bid is accepted. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 1 mw of curtailable load.

The utility’s Energy Reduction Rider provides customers with credit for curtailing load during emergency conditions. Service is available to customers with a curtailable demand of at least 150 kw.

Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) offers real-time pricing through its MarketChoice program. SWEPCO provides customers with day-ahead hourly electricity market prices, and customers are alternatively credited or charged, based on the market price, for usage below or above a pre-defined Customer Baseline Load.

 

Maine

State Planning Office
State House Station, No. 38
184 State St.
Augusta, Maine 04333
Voice: (207) 287-1479
Fax: (207) 287-6489

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Bangor Hydro has a Commercial Lighting Incentive Program (CLIP), which provides rebates for energy-efficient lighting and room occupancy sensors.

Central Maine Power Co. sponsors the Maine-Made Incentive for manufacturing, agricultural, construction, forestry, fishing or mining facilities. This incentive provides 5 cents per kwh of projected annual savings for energy-efficient retrofits or new construction projects. The total incentive is limited to 25 percent of the project cost, and participation in the program is limited to commercial and industrial customers whose maximum demand is below 1,000 kw. The utility also offers the Building System Diagnostics service, which provides a customized, comprehensive assessment of a facility’s HVAC systems free of charge.

The Independent System Operator New England Inc. (ISO-NE) offers the Load-Response Program through which energy market participants belonging to New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) can enter into agreements with retail customers to reduce electricity consumption during periods of peak demand. ISO-NE is offering two programs:

The Demand-Response Program (Class 1) requires participating customers to commit to mandatory energy reductions on 30-minute notice from ISO-NE. Customers in the Demand-Response Program receive payments for their ongoing participation and additional payments for the actual energy they saved.

The Price-Response Program (Class 2) allows its participating customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption during certain periods as determined by ISO-NE. Customers in the Price-Response Program only receive payments for the actual energy they curtail.

 

Maryland

Maryland Energy Administration
1623 Forest Dr., Suite 300
Annapolis, Md. 21403
Voice: (410) 260-7511
Fax: (410) 974-2875

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) offers a Voluntary Curtailable Program. A customer must have at least 500 kw of load available for curtailment or 100 kw of self-generation at each site to qualify for the program. The utility also offers energy audits and offers financing options for energy-efficient improvements.

Conectiv Solutions offers energy efficiency services that include energy audits, lighting retrofits, HVAC and motor systems, and energy-management strategies.

Conectiv Thermal Systems offers flexible long-term financing for meeting the thermal energy requirements of commercial and industrial customers.

Potomac Electric Power Co. (PEPCO) Energy Services, the utility’s unregulated affiliate, offers a range of services including energy audits and financing for energy-efficient equipment purchase.

PEPCO also offers special rate schedules for cogeneration and thermal energy storage to their non-residential customers whose maximum 30-minute demand is less than 25 kw.

 

Massachusetts

Division of Energy Resources
70 Franklin St., 7th Floor
Boston, Mass. 02110
Voice: (617) 727-4732
Fax: (617) 727-0030

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs and demand-response programs. The Rebuild Boston Energy Initiative has been established to address energy and water management needs in Boston, providing technical assistance, project management, and project financing coordination for energy-efficiency improvements.

Initiatives:
The Independent System Operator New England Inc. (ISO-NE) is offering the Load Response Program, through which retail customers to reduce electricity consumption during periods of peak demand. ISO-NE is offering two programs:

The Demand Response Program (Class 1) requires participating customers to commit to mandatory energy reductions on 30-minute notice from ISO-NE. Customers in the Demand-Response Program receive payments for their ongoing participation and additional payments for the actual energy they saved.

The Price Response Program (Class 2) allows its participating customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption during certain periods as determined by ISO-NE. Customers in the Price-Response Program only receive payments for the actual energy they curtail.

Massachusetts Electric and Nantucket Electric offer a variety of energy-efficiency services through their Design 2000plus and Energy Initiative programs, including rebates for energy-efficient lighting, VSDs, HVAC equipment and other custom measures. The two utilities also provide technical assistance in identifying, implementing, and evaluating energy-efficiency opportunities for new construction, renovations and equipment replacement. Competitive financing of energy-efficient equipment and building commissioning are further services offered by the two companies.

NStar offers energy-efficiency programs and services that include:

New Construction Program: provides all commercial and industrial customers up to 100 percent of the incremental costs between standard equipment and high-efficiency equipment for new construction projects, remodeling, renovations or replacement of failed electrical or mechanical equipment.

Retrofit Program: provides medium and large commercial and industrial customers up to 75 percent of total project costs when retrofitting existing electrical or mechanical equipment.

Small Commercial and Industrial Retrofit Program: offers small commercial and industrial electric customers up to 80 percent of the total project costs when replacing existing electrical or mechanical equipment. This program includes an economic development component that offers a 100 percent total project costs incentive to customers within designated economically challenged areas.

Recommissioning services: available to re-evaluate and upgrade existing heating/cooling or lighting equipment in electric customers’ facilities.

Western Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECO) offers a variety of programs and services, including:

Rebates: available for energy-efficient lighting improvements made by commercial and industrial (C&I) customers with peak demand less than 350 kw. All C&I customers are eligible to receive rebates for room occupancy sensors. Reimbursement for the cost of an energy audit or a focused study of a specific system or equipment.

Request For Proposal Program: allows customers to create their own solution or partner with an energy-efficiency consultant and then compete against other projects for financial assistance to design and implement custom-tailored projects. Eligibility limited to customers with peak demand greater than 350 kw and at least 100,000 kwh of projected annual savings.

Energy Advantage Program: provides turnkey, energy-saving products and services for small business customers with average peak demand between 11 and 100 kw. WMECO will pay up to 50 percent of the costs for retrofit lighting measures and up to 100 percent of the costs associated with other eligible cost-effective, energy-efficiency installation services. Energy Advantage offers a 0 percent financing option.

Tailored HVAC Program and the Operations and Maintenance Program: provides half of the cost of a study of a facility’s related systems. The customer’s 50 percent share will be refunded following installation of recommended energy-saving measures.

Energy Conscious Construction Program: reimburses customers for the incremental difference between standard and energy-efficient equipment, installed in new construction projects or major renovations.

Massachusetts Electric, NStar, Western Massachusetts Electric, Fitchburg Gas & Electric, and Nantucket Electric each sponsor regional rebate programs including the following two:

The Northeast Premium-Efficiency Motors Initiative (MotorUp) provides rebates for premium efficiency motors up to 200 hp.

Cool Choice provides rebates for high-efficiency air conditioners, air-to-air heat pump systems, water-source heat pump systems, packaged terminal air conditioners and packaged terminal heat pumps, up to 30 tons cooling capacity.

 

Michigan

Energy Office
6545 Mercantile Way
P.O. Box 30221
Lansing, Mich. 48909
Voice: (517) 241-6228
Fax: (517) 241-6229

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Detroit Edison has an interruptible space-conditioning provision in its rates for commercial space conditioning use. Detroit Edison also has the LightWise Program, which provides lighting audits as well as installation and financing of efficient lighting. The company also offers specialized services for Federal facilities, including facility energy audits and project development.

Indiana Michigan Power Co. (AEP) offers Price Curtailable Service to customers who can curtail 1 mw or more. The customer determines the minimum price per kwh at which they would be willing to curtail, the maximum curtailment duration, and the maximum number of curtailment events per year. When notified by the utility, the customer is required to curtail. Payment based on the curtailed load.

Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services, Energy Division, offers free energy analyses of small commercial buildings. Commercial establishments that have between 5 and 50 employees, pay their own electric and fuel bills and have lighting and/or heating/cooling equipment that is 5 years or older qualify for this service.

 

Minnesota

Energy Division
Minnesota Department of Commerce
85 7th Place East, Suite 500
St. Paul, Minn. 55101
Voice: (651) 297-2545
Fax: (651) 282-2568

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Alliant Energy offers its Performance Contracting Program, which includes project identification, management and financing through energy savings.

Minnegasco offers several rebate programs. The Natural Gas Heating System Rebate helps to offset the cost of (1) installing a new natural gas heating system, (2) adding efficiency enhancements to natural gas systems or (3) having a boiler tuneup. Minnegasco also offers free energy audits to help identify energy-efficiency opportunities.

Minnesota Power (MP) offers its commercial and industrial customers energy audits at no charge for audits costing less than $1,200. Costs beyond that will be shared 50/50 with the customer up to $2,400 maximum. MP also offers grants and rebates through the PowerGrant program.

Northern States Power (NSP/Xcel Energy) offers a variety of energy-efficiency programs.

Rebates are available for a number of eligible high-efficiency technologies, including lighting, motors, cooling systems, and boilers.

Two types of low-cost energy analysis services are available, including energy audits, and detailed engineering assistance studies.

For new construction and renovation projects that incorporate energy-efficient equipment and design, NSP/Xcel provides incentives based on peak kw savings, reimbursement for the incremental design cost due to including energy-efficient options, computer modeling and performance verification.

NSP also has a Saver’s Switch program, which uses a radio-activated device Xcel installs on outside air conditioning units. On summer days when Xcel experiences peak demand, Saver’s Switch automatically controls air conditioners, reducing the demand for electricity. In exchange for participation, customers receive a discount on their electricity bill for the months of June through September.

Otter Tail Power Co. offers the Released Energy Access Program. When Otter Tail expects peak conditions and high energy prices, it will alert program participants by e-mail of the price offered for released energy. Customers that wish to take the offer reply by making their commitment to curtail a specific amount of power at the required time.

Otter Tail also offers rebates for a number of energy-efficient technologies, including lighting, motors and heat pumps. Grants for these and other technologies are also available through the Commercial and Industrial Grant Program. Otter Tail also offers several financing options for energy-efficiency projects, and real-time pricing.

Both Northern Minnesota Utilities and Peoples Natural Gas will arrange, for a $50 fee, a comprehensive walk-through energy audit for commercial and business customers. Both utilities also offer rebates for replacing standard heating equipment with high-efficiency systems.

 

Mississippi

Mississippi Energy Division Mississippi Development Authority
P.O. Box 850
510 George St., Suite 300
Jackson, Miss. 39205
Voice: (601)359-6600
Fax: (601) 359-6642

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs.

Initiatives:
Mississippi Power offers customized energy-related services, including a variety of financing options, through its Energy Solutions program.

 

Missouri

Energy Center, Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 176
169A E. Elm St.
Jefferson City, Mo. 65102
Voice: (573) 751-4000
Fax: (573) 751-6860

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Ameren offers Abacus, a wireless metering information system that tracks energy use by process, facility or equipment and provides access to the information through the Internet.

Ameren Corp.’s Customer Energy Exchange allows customers to reduce energy use by 500 kw or more during peak demand in exchange for credits. To qualify, customers need the ability to reduce load by at least 500 kw, an interval meter with communications equipment a fax machine and a computer with Internet access. Customers can view day-ahead prices and then decide whether to participate. The company will also analyze compressed-air and motor systems that use 100 kw or more. For large customers, a comprehensive analysis of lighting and HVAC usage is available.

Empire District Electric Co. allows industrial customers to participate in an interruptible power program. It also offers a lighting retrofit program, analysis, technical courses and energy-usage and rate-design analysis.

Entergy offers Web-based energy analysis for commercial and industrial customers that allows review of load data, and analysis of energy use of single or multiple locations. Market-based, load-management programs are used in place of interruptible service rates.

Kansas City Power & Light offers a peak-load curtailment program in which customers agree to reduce their load by at least 200 kw less than their peak demand each time a curtailment request is made by the utility. In exchange, customers receive a credit of $10 per kw per month for their curtailable load, regardless of whether any curtailment requests are made, from May 16 through September 15. The utility also offers real-time pricing, allowing commercial customers to buy their electricity at marginal cost-based prices, shift usage to lower-cost periods, or reduce their load to avoid expensive periods. A voluntary load-reduction program is open to customers with a minimum peak demand of 100 kw.

Missouri Public Service and St. Joseph Light and Power offer voluntary load-reduction programs. The utilities make offers to purchase load curtailments from customers.

Utilicorp offers energy audits, energy rebates and discount programs. It also offers customized rebates and energy audits for commercial customers, along with online energy efficiency information. Its curtailment program is available to customers with peak demands greater than 500 kw.

 

Montana

Planning, Prevention, and Assistance Division, Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 200901
1520 East 6th Ave.
Helena, Mont. 59620-0901
Voice: (406) 444-6754
Fax: (406) 444-6836

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) offers the Demand Exchange Program, an Internet-based, load-reduction bidding program. Participants are alerted to hourly, one-day, and two-day price signals associated with peak-load events and are able to post their willingness to participate at a price. Eligibility is limited to participants able to curtail and/or generate at least 1 mw.

Black Hills Power offers a Business Enhancement Program to assist customers in the use of energy-efficient electro-technologies, such as energy storage and lighting.

Lighting: Existing commercial customers who retrofit their indoor lighting systems are eligible for up to a $5,000 incentive if they sign a three-year electric power service contract. Without a contract, the maximum incentive is $500. Incentives are based on 12 cents per watt saved for hardwire installations and 4 cents per watt saved for compact fluorescent lamps.

Power Factor Correction: Reduced demand charges are the primary incentive for commercial and industrial customers to improve their power factor. The company provides an account analysis, rate savings calculations and project financing. A three-year electric power service contract for certain projects is required.

Custom Packages: There are other electro-technologies that may qualify for an economic development incentive, including water loop heat pumps, geothermal loop fields, heating or air-conditioning systems, water heating systems, power quality equipment and energy management systems. Financing, project design assistance or an economic development rate may also be granted. Requires a three,- five- or seven-year contract for electric service.

Montana-Dakota Utility allows net metering, an arrangement in which any surplus energy generated by the customer’s system goes back on the utility electric system. The customer receives credit for the electricity put back on the system at retail rates.

Montana Power offers a Commercial Lighting Rebate program for the installation of efficient lights; a Business Partners program to provide funding for load-management and conservation projects in new and retrofit applications; a Commercial Energy Appraisals program for businesses with a peak demand of 50 kw or less; and net metering for renewable installation of 50 kw or less. Net metering is an arrangement in which any surplus energy generated by the customer’s system goes back to the utility electric system and allows the customer to receive credit for the electricity put back on the system at retail rates.

State Buildings Energy Conservation Bond is designed to finance energy improvement projects on state-owned buildings. The program uses bond proceeds to fund the projects and energy savings to repay the bonds.

 

Nebraska

Nebraska State Energy Office
P.O. Box 95085
1111 “O” St., Suite 223
Lincoln, Neb. 68509
Voice: (402) 471-2867
Fax: (402) 471-3064

Overview: This state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Lincoln Electric System (LES) offers several free services, including energy-efficiency reviews where an energy specialist conducts an energy audit to identify and analyze energy savings opportunities. LES also offers the Power Purchase Program, which provides payment to customers for reducing demand during summer peak conditions. Eligibility limited to customers with at least 100 kw of load curtailment available.

The Nebraska State Energy Office offers loans statewide to fund energy-using system improvements. The interest rate is 5 percent, but can be adjusted semiannually. The total amount that can be borrowed is: multi-family buildings, $75,000; Nebraska businesses and non-profits $100,000; and government buildings, $175,000.

A borrower may finance less than 100 percent of the cost of the improvements. Loans can only be made for the cost of goods and services, not for labor provided by the borrower. The only fees a participating lender may charge are out-of-pocket expenses, a physical inspection fee of up to $50, a loan documentation fee to cover indirect or overhead costs up to $50, and a 2 percent origination fee if the term of the loan is for the maximum length of time — 10 years for building and system improvements and the simple payback period for projects requiring an audit.

Building Envelope improvements that qualify include: adding weatherstrip and/or threshold to doors, installing storm doors, replacing glass doors with energy-efficient glass doors, replacing solid-core doors with energy-efficient solid core doors, adding weatherstrip to windows; replacing missing or broken glass or window sash, replacing a window opening with an insulated panel or solid wall, applying reflective window film, installing storm windows, replacing windows, adding insulation and repairing roof or vents, adding insulation to frame or masonry walls, adding new siding and insulating floors over unheated spaces.

HVAC improvements that qualify include: forced-air natural gas furnaces rated at 90 AFUE or higher, air-source heat pumps rated at 7.8 HSFP or higher, groundwater- or ground-coupled heat pumps rated at 3.0 COP or higher, steam or hot water boilers rated at 83.0 AFUE or higher, gas radiant heating systems, the installation of an automatic flue or vent damper, the installation of an intermittent ignition device, replacing the burner in a furnace or boiler, central air conditioners rated at 12.00 SEER or higher, air conditioners larger than 5.4 tons rated at 10.0 IPLV or higher, air-source heat pumps rated at 12.00 SEER or higher, ground water- or ground-coupled heat pumps rated at 13.0 EER or higher, and unitary or room heat pumps rated at 10.0 EER or higher and 3.0 COP or higher.

Lighting improvements that qualify include: Total wattage of the new lighting system must be at least 15 percent less than the system being replaced. Technologies that qualify are: compact fluorescent lamps, full-sized fluorescent lamps (must be T-8 or smaller diameter), high-intensity discharge lamps, LED exit signs, lighting controls (photocell, motion sensor or timeclock controls) and conversion of gas lights to electric.

Water Heater improvements that qualify include: gas storage water heaters with a minimum efficiency rating of 0.60, electric storage water heaters with a minimum efficiency rating of 0.91, heat pump water heaters with a minimum efficiency rating of 2.2, desuperheater water heaters, tankless water heaters, the installation of an insulation blanket on water heaters and pipes and the installation of hot water flow restrictors.

Omaha Public Power District offers performance contracting services, providing complete turnkey energy-efficiency projects.

 

Nevada

Nevada Energy Office, Department of Business and Industry
727 Fairview Drive, Suite F
Carson City, Nev. 89701
Voice: (775) 687-5975
Fax: (775) 687-4914

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs

Initiatives:
Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power offer a voluntary curtailment program for customers with at least 1 mw of load who can reduce loads by more than 500 kw. Credits are based on a percentage of the market price for electricity. Credits are calculated monthly and applied to bills.

The utilities also offer the Take Control Lighting Program to commercial and industrial customers. The following requirements must be met to participate in the rebate program:

The following electronic ballast requirements must be met for linear fluorescent lamps:

The utilities also offer a Custom Incentive Program for commercial and industrial customers. This program allows an incentive to be paid to customers who retrofit existing equipment in their facilities to a more efficient system, based on the following guidelines:
 

New Hampshire

Governor’s Office of Energy & Community Services
57 Regional Drive
Concord, N.H. 03301
Voice: (603) 271-2611
Fax: (603) 271-2615

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
ISO New England (ISO-NE) sponsors load-response programs for business customers able to interrupt a minimum of 100 kw of electric load.

Demand-Response Program customers must be available to interrupt by a committed amount within 30 minutes of being notified by ISO-NE on all non-holiday weekdays between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Customers will only be called upon after a contingency loss or following the OP4 action for voltage reductions as 10-minute reserve. If called, interruptions will normally not exceed two hours. Customers will receive a credit each month based on the 30 Minute Operating Reserve clearing price and their committed kw reduction amount. When an interruption is called and the customer performs, they will receive additional payment based on the actual energy clearing price and the actual load reduction for the hours of interruption.

The Price Response Program allows for voluntary load reductions based on customer’s response to real-time market prices. Customers will receive payments based on the actual energy clearing price for any committed and performed interruptions between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. on any non-holiday weekday during which the ISO-NE forecasts an Energy Clearing Price of $100 per mwh or greater in a given day and sends notification via the Internet.

Public Service of New Hampshire’s HEATSMART provides discounted rates to small business customers with electric space heating, water heating or heat pumps, in exchange for the ability to interrupt the heating for periods of up to 4 hours.

Granite State Electric Co.’s Design 2000plus and Energy Initiative programs provide financial incentives and technical assistance to optimize energy efficiency in new construction, renovation or remodeling projects. The programs provide rebates for installation of the following equipment:
 

Public Service of New Hampshire also offers rebates and incentives for the installation of energy efficient lighting systems, HVAC components and variable speed drives.

 

New Jersey

Division of Energy, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
2 Gateway Center
Newark, N.J. 07102
Voice: (973) 648-3717
Fax: (973) 648-7420

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
The PJM Independent System Operator (ISO) oversees the Emergency Load-Response and Economic Load-Response programs targeted to power generators. Retail electricity customers can participate through their service providers.

Public Service Electric & Gas Co.’s Hourly Energy Pricing Service is available for customers that have metered electricity demand above 40 mw and can reduce their load by 66 percent within 30 minutes.

Jersey Central Power & Light Co. has a thermal storage program, which offers rebates for installing thermal energy storage systems. The rebate schedules are based on kw reduced. It also offers a load profile service that customers can use to monitor their electricity demand in real time and identify energy cost savings opportunities.

The state’s Division of Energy offers various programs and services, some of which are administered through utilities, to help facilities take advantage of high-efficiency gas and electric equipment. The state has outlined three paths within its Core Program:

Prescriptive Path: Customers receive financial incentives for installing pre-qualified energy-efficient equipment.

Custom Path: Customers request technical assistance and receive an incentive to qualify and purchase energy-efficient equipment not on the prescriptive list. Any customer that installs a qualifying set of measures receives a 10 percent bonus.

Comprehensive Building Design Path: The customer, the design team and the utility representatives work together from the conceptual design stage of a new construction or substantial renovation project to consider design and equipment options to improve the overall efficiency of a building. Customers receive technical assistance in defining and costing efficiency options, as well as reimbursement to the customer’s own design team for additional design work or analysis necessary to accommodate program recommendations. Each customer’s financial incentive is calculated and awarded based on an analysis of the entire project design and the interaction of the various energy-consuming systems in the building.

Customers participating in the Core Program may receive additional services, including:
 

In addition to the Core Program, customers with unique needs may receive specialized services, including:
 

Eligibility Requirements: Commercial, educational, governmental/institutional, industrial and agricultural customers that are located in New Jersey and are served by sponsoring utilities are eligible to participate. Eligible construction projects include: new construction, renovations, additions, remodeling, equipment replacement and manufacturing process improvements.

The following incentives, which vary by size, type and efficiency, are offered statewide:
Design Support Incentives
 

Qualifying Equipment Incentives
 

Variable-Speed Drives
 

Water Heating
 

Premium-Efficiency Motors
 

Lighting
 

Lighting Controls
 

New Mexico

Energy Conservation and Management Division NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department
P.O. Box 1948
1220 S. St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, N.M. 87505
Voice: (505) 476-3200
Fax: (505) 476-3220

Overview: The state has no energy-efficiency or demand-response programs.


 

New York

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Corporate Plaza West
286 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, New York 12203-6399
Voice: (518) 862-1090
Fax: (518) 862-1091

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) offers two load-management programs: The Emergency Demand-Response Program provides financial incentives for reducing electricity use during times of electric-capacity constraints in the state. Customers participate through an authorized Curtailment Service Provider, such as their electricity service provider, a load aggregator or an energy service company.

The day-ahead Demand-Response Program allows participants to specify the hours of the next day they would be willing to reduce electricity use, the amount of that reduction and the compensation required. Customers may participate either by reducing load or by operating emergency generation.

NYSERDA offers a Peak Load Reduction Program which provides grants for developing and implementing short-duration load-curtailment measures, permanent demand-reduction efforts, and dispatched emergency generators initiatives. Grants are also provided to purchase and install interval meters required by customers participating in load reduction programs, such as the NYISO’s load-management programs.

Con Edison, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, and Orange and Rockland Utilities offer Real Time Pricing programs.

Long Island Power Authority also has a Voluntary Real Time Pricing Pilot Program, available to a limited number of customers.

NYSERDA offers the Commercial/Industrial Performance Program, which pays the following fixed-price incentive rates based on measured savings over a two-year period: 10.5 cents per kwh for lighting efficiency, 12.8 cents per kwh for motors, 28.8 cents per kwh for cooling measures and up to $300 per kw for summer peak demand reduction for electric chiller and packaged system replacements. Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2002, or until funds are fully committed. Applications for incentives will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis from ESCOs on behalf of electricity distribution customers of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc., New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, or Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation. All classes of customers are eligible if they meet program requirements.

The minimum project size is 50,000 kwh, 20kw, or equivalent combination of annual savings. A set-aside will be available for smaller customers with annual consumption of less than 1 million kwh to encourage aggregation to reach the minimum project size. These smaller project sites will be eligible for incentives 20 percent over the incentives listed above.

Effective September 17, 2001, screw-base Compact Fluorescent Lamps to replace standard incandescent lamps are eligible for incentives through the C/I Performance Program. The CFL must meet or exceed ENERGY STAR® program requirements. If the screw-base CFL will be installed without a locking device, the measurement and verification plan must include an acceptable restocking/replacement plan.

The incentive amount will be prorated for customers that pay the SBC for less than 50 percent of the total electrical consumption.

 

North Carolina

State Energy Office Department of Administration
1340 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699
Voice: (919) 733-2230
Fax: (919) 733-2953

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Dominion Virginia Power offers programs for commercial and industrial customers that can reduce load or operate generators based on day-ahead or day-of notification. The programs include standby generator, economic load curtailment and curtailable service rates in addition to real-time pricing rates.

Duke Energy offers real-time pricing through its hourly pricing for incremental load rate in which customers are credited or charged based on the day-ahead hourly market price of electricity for usage below or above a pre-defined customer baseline load profile. It also offers a standby generator control rate in which customers receive payment for making standby generation available during system emergencies.

 

North Dakota

Energy Programs Division of Community Services
North Dakota Department of Commerce
400 E. Broadway, Suite 50
P.O. Box 2057
Bismarck, N.D.58502-2057
Voice: (701) 328-2094
Fax: (701) 328-2308

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Northern States Power Co.(Xcel Energy) offers Rate Savings Programs for business customers who agree to limit or shift energy demand to off-peak hours of the day.
 

It also offers the Saver’s Switch program. Participants agree to allow the utility to cycle air conditioning systems remotely during periods of peak electricity demand, in exchange for a credit of $5 per ton on each month’s electricity bill during operation of the program.

Otter Tail Power Co. offers the Released Energy Access Program. When the utility expects peak conditions and high energy prices, it will alert program participants by e-mail of the price offered for released energy. Customers that wish to take the offer reply by making their commitment to curtail a specific amount of power at the required time. The utility also offers real-time pricing.

The North Dakota State Buildings Energy Conservation Program provides grant funding to state institutions and agencies for the installation and implementation of energy-efficiency measures. Energy audits are required to identify potential energy conservation measures, respective costs, energy savings and payback periods.

The State Energy Program’s (SEP) mission is to promote energy conservation and efficiency, and reduce the rate of growth of energy demand by developing and implementing a comprehensive state energy plan supported by federal financial and technical assistance. The SEP provides a range of energy conservation related programs, including energy education, buildings, commercial/industrial, energy codes, and transportation.

Some services are provided directly, while other services are provided under contract, including workshops and demonstration projects. DCS contracts with a number of professional organizations, educational institutions, and other entities to provide these services. Various mechanical engineering services are also provided related to energy use within state facilities.

 

Ohio

Office of Energy Efficiency Ohio Department of Development
77 S. High St., 26th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108
Voice: (614) 466-6797
Fax:     (614) 466-1864

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Allegheny Power offers the Generation Buy-Back Program, a voluntary, peak load-reduction program available to customers with a peak demand of at least 300 kw. The businesses can achieve these reductions by either utilizing on-site generation or reducing their demand for electricity. In exchange, the business are paid a percentage of the wholesale cost of power as a credit on their next bill.

American Electric Power (AEP), the holding company of Ohio Power and Columbus Southern Power, offers several load management programs: The Emergency Curtailable Service Rider provides credit, based on curtailed energy use, to participants for reducing load when requested by the utility during emergency conditions.

The Price Curtailable Service Rider provides credit, based on curtailed energy use, to participants for reducing load when requested by the utility during high price periods. The participant specifies the minimum price as well as the maximum number of days they would be willing to curtail. For both programs, customers must curtail upon notification or be assessed non-performance penalties. Participation is limited to customers with a curtailable demand of at least 3 mw. AEP also offers real-time pricing through the MarketChoice program. AEP provides customers with day-ahead hourly electricity market prices, and customers are alternatively credited or charged, based on the market price, for usage below or above a pre-defined customer baseline load.

Cinergy / Cincinnati Gas and Electric offers the PowerShare
Pricing Program, which consists of several options:

Call Option: customers select a strike price based upon their own estimate of the costs of complying with curtailments. When the day-ahead market prices are projected to be greater than the strike prices, Cinergy can call the option by notifying customers. In exchange for participation, customers receive a guaranteed premium plus an additional energy credit whenever they are called.

Quote Option: a day-of program. Cinergy provides price quotes and interested customers must respond with an estimate of voluntary load reduction within one hour. The company also offers real time pricing through its PathWise program in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the current wholesale prices, for electricity below or above a pre-determined customer baseline load profile.

The operating companies of FirstEnergy - including Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Co., and Toledo Edison - offer an Experimental Power Curtailment Program. Participation in the program provides customers with an opportunity to receive bill credits, based on the wholesale market price of electricity, for voluntarily reducing use during high price periods. Participation is limited to those customers who can curtail at least 1 mw, have an interval meter installed and have interval meter history available from which a historical load profile can be established. First Energy also offers an Experimental Day-Ahead Real-Time Pricing Program, in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the current wholesale prices, for electricity below or above a pre-determined customer baseline load profile.

Ohio Energy-Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund provides incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The program offers interest rate reductions of up to 50 percent through loan participation with private lenders or through linked deposits. The Energy Loan Fund will participate at a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $250,000. The term can be up to eight years. When the term of the bank loan is greater than eight years, the Energy Loan Fund will purchase a certificate of deposit at 0-percent interest and will link this deposit to the borrower’s bank loan for either an interest rate reduction over a period of five years or an interest rate savings over the life of the bank loan.

Eligible business and institutional projects include the energy-efficiency related costs for:
 

Eligible projects include combined heat and power systems, power-factor correction, system thermal insulation, building envelope insulation, lighting systems, fuel source conversion to renewable, heat recovery, automatic control systems and modifications.

Some of the energy-efficiency performance standards that must be met to secure a loan include:
 

Under Ohio Revised Code Section 5709.46, the State of Ohio provides tax exemptions for qualified facilities for energy conversion, solid-waste energy conversion or thermal-efficiency improvements. Whenever an energy conversion, solid-waste energy conversion, or thermal-efficiency improvement certificate is issued, the transfer of tangible property for incorporation into the facility is not subject to the sales tax. Upon certification, facilities or their certified portion are not subject to real property taxes for improvements, personal property taxes or franchise laws for as long as the certificate is in force. The certificate is in effect as long as the equipment is in operation.

Businesses must file an application with the tax commissioner for an energy conversion, solid-waste energy conversion or thermal-efficiency improvement certificate. The application includes a narrative description of the facility and a descriptive list of component parts and materials incorporated or to be incorporated in the facility. In the case of a thermal-efficiency improvement facility, estimated reductions in energy consumption are to be provided while an application for a solid-waste energy conversion facility is to include an estimate of its solid-waste consumption capacity and energy output. Prior to the issuance of the certificate, the tax commissioner must obtain a written opinion from the Department of Development regarding the likelihood of realizing the estimated reductions in power consumption or the estimated solid-waste consumption capacity and energy output.

The Renewable Energy Loan Program promotes investment in energy-efficient products, technologies or services that use clean, renewable energy resources. For business and institutional renewable energy projects, participation is limited to a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $500,000. Depending on the type of loan, the term is for 5 years or 8 years.

Eligible projects include the purchase and installation of solar energy (photovoltaic cells), wind energy (wind turbines), bio-mass/bio-energy (from plants and trees or landfill methane) and hydropower (from flowing water or existing dams) and fuel cells.

 

Oklahoma

Division of Community Affairs and Development, Oklahoma Department of Commerce
P.O. Box 26980
6601 N. Broadway
Oklahoma City, Okla. 73126
Voice: (405) 815-6552
Fax: (405) 815-5344

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
American Electric Power (AEP), the holding company of Public Service Co. of Oklahoma, offers real-time pricing through the MarketChoice program. AEP provides customers with day-ahead hourly electricity market prices, and customers are alternatively credited or charged, based on the market price, for usage below or above a pre-defined customer baseline Load.

The State Energy Program offers the Local Government Energy Education and Finance Program, which identifies energy saving opportunities for local governments and provides cost-effective solutions and assistance in financing energy projects. It also offers the K-12 School Energy Loan/Lease Program, which provides loans to educational institutions to identify energy saving projects or to finance energy conservation measures.

 

Oregon

Oregon Office of Energy
625 Marion St., N.E.
Salem, Ore. 97310
Voice: (503) 378-4131
Fax: (503) 373-7806

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is offering the Demand Exchange Program. This is a load-reduction bidding program in which participants respond to bids by BPA to reduce loads by a specified amount during system emergencies and volatile market conditions. Participants must be able to curtail and/or generate at least 1 mw.

PacifiCorp offers an Internet-based, demand reduction bidding program, called Energy Exchange. In this program, the utility posts a price for each hour that load reduction is needed and customers may respond by pledging to curtail a specified load. The utility pays the customer for each hour of curtailment based on the measured load reduction. To participate, customers must have exceeded 1 mw within the previous year.

Portland General Electric offers an Internet-based, demand-reduction bidding programs, called the Demand Buy Back program. In this program, the utility posts a price for each hour that a load reduction is needed, and customers may respond by pledging to curtail a specified load. The utility pays the customer for each hour of curtailment based on the measured load-reduction. Customers must be able to reduce demand by at least 250 kw. To participate in PacifiCorp’s program, customers must have exceeded 1 mw within the previous year.

Customers with standby generators of at least 1 mw capacity may also participate in PGE’s Dispatchable Standby Generator program, in which PGE has the option to use the customer’s generators during periods of peak demand. In exchange, PGE will pay for the fuel and maintenance of the generators, as well as the necessary control and communications hardware.

Avista Utilities is offering the Oregon Energy Partners Incentive Program. Through the program, businesses are provided partial funding towards the installation of cost-effective natural gas-efficiency measures. The program is for new construction or existing buildings. The incentive is designed to cover 50 percent of engineering study costs which determine projected therms savings for the actual project. Funding is offered for the lesser of: (1) 50 percent of the incremental measure cost, or (2) an amount calculated from the energy savings of the project and it’s value to Avista Utilities. This may range from 13 cents to $4.11 per therm of the first year natural gas savings.

Project eligibility is determined by the incremental measure cost or “IMC”. The IMC is the cost above a reasonable minimum expected to construct a similar project without energy-efficiency features. In new construction, it is the difference between building to code and a new building with proposed energy use at least 10 percent less than a “code” building. Eligibility criteria for existing buildings may vary depending on the type of the project. In other projects, it is the difference between prevailing practices for the business or industry and a more energy-efficient method. To be considered for funding, the minimum IMC shall not be less than $1,000 per site.

Funding provided under the program is limited to end-users where natural gas (420 & 424 rate) is the sole energy source and to measures that increase the efficiency with which natural gas is used. The customer must receive written approval and authorization to proceed before starting the project.

The Energy Loan Program (also known as SELP) promotes energy conservation and renewable energy resource development. The program offers low-interest loans for projects that save energy, produce energy from renewable resources, use recycled materials to create products and use alternative fuels. The Energy Loan Program can loan to individuals, businesses, schools, cities, counties, special districts, state and federal agencies, public corporations, cooperatives, tribes and non-profits. Energy analysis and engineering studies are offered to schools and governments.

Loan rates vary by project type: state agency projects, 5.6 percent; other public projects (schools, cities, counties, special districts), 5.75 percent; commercial conservation, 6.5 percent; and commercial sector renewables and waste heat projects (tax-exempt bonds), subject to a bond sale — rates estimated at 5.5 to 6 percent for up to 15 years.

Idaho Power performs energy audits for business customers. Program designed to achieve at least 1,000 kw reduction from commercial customers in exchange for bill credits.

The Oregon Office of Energy offers the Business Energy Tax Credit to those who invest in energy conservation, recycling, renewable energy resources and less-polluting transportation fuels. The tax credit is 35 percent of the eligible project costs — the incremental cost of the system or equipment that’s beyond standard practice. The credit is given over five years: 10 percent in the first and second years and 5 percent each year thereafter. If the credit can’t be taken each year, the unused credit can be forwarded up to eight years. Businesses with eligible project costs of $20,000 or less may take the tax credit in one year. Other provisions allow: tax credits for small projects with an eligible cost of $20,000 or less may now be taken in one year; business owners to transfer the present value of the tax credit for an eligible energy project; public entities, including publicly owned utilities, that have qualifying energy projects to participate in the program; hospitals, colleges, and other entities with large numbers of customers to use the credit to purchase transit passes; funding of sustainable building and development projects; and funding of car-sharing expenses.

Application must be made before the project is started. Waivers may be requested but it will be granted only for business hardships or circumstances beyond your control that caused you to delay your application. The request must be made in writing within 90 days of project start and describe clearly the hardship or circumstances.

PacifiCorp. offers rebates for installation of high-efficiency lighting systems.

*Note to schools:
Schools in the PGE and/or PacifiCorp service areas can receive public fund through the Educational Service Districts (ESDs) funds established by the utilities. This money is to be used to fund cost-effective energy conservation in the schools. The ESDs will begin to receive funds in March of 2002. The fund will pay for cost-effective energy efficiency measures, weatherization, energy education programs, green power purchases and renewable energy resource investments. In the first phase, schools can use the funds to perform energy audits and implement Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) with a payback of 7 years or less. In later phases, schools will be allowed to fund projects in other facilities owned by the schools, EEMs with longer paybacks, education and conservation programs, renewable energy and energy education programs.

The amount of money will vary month-to-month as it is based on the utility’s revenues. The money is sent to the ESDs based on ADM. The expectation is that the ESDs will allocate the money to individual school districts based on ADM as well. The school districts may allocate the funds among individual schools as necessary. However, schools must implement all cost-effective measures before implementing renewables or energy education.

In the first phase of this program, only educational facilities are eligible. Educational facilities are sites whose primary function is instruction, such as classroom instruction, multipurpose activities and libraries serving kindergarten through grade 12. After all eligible schools in the district have been audited and all projects with a payback of seven years or less have been completed, non-educational facilities can be audited and energy projects can be implemented.

*Note on rate options: These electricity options are available starting March 1. Enroll anytime, except for Pacific Power’s Seasonal Flux option. Options can be changed at any time, except market-based options, which have minimum terms.
 

Pennsylvania

Office of Pollution and Compliance Assistance, Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 2063
400 Market St., RCSOB
Harrisburg, Pa. 17105
Voice: (717) 783-0542
Fax: (717) 783-2703

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Allegheny Power offers the Generation Buy-Back Program in which the utility may declare curtailment events and offer to pay for load reductions at a fixed price per kwh. Interested participants respond with a commitment to curtail. Eligibility limited to customers with a maximum demand of at least 300 kw.

Duquesne Light Co. offers the Voluntary Contract Load Reduction Program in which customers are paid for voluntarily reducing their loads when requested by the utility.

GPU Energy offers two load-management programs: The Voluntary Load Reduction program provides participants with a day-ahead price offer for load reductions. Interested customers respond by committing to curtail a specific load.

In the Seasonal Savings Program, customers contract to reduce a specified level of load in response to day-ahead or two-hour-ahead calls. Customers are paid a fixed monthly incentive, as well as for actual load reductions.

PECO offers an experimental Interruptible Rider-2 pays customers for reducing load during peak periods. The Active Load Management option requires that customers reduce load to a firm load level when requested by the utility, during periods of system limitations. The Economic Curtailment option compensates customers for voluntarily reducing energy usage during periods of high energy prices. The utility also offers their customers e-Valuator, a Web-based electricity profiling application that monitors electricity usage and provides hourly usage histories to aid customers in identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and to shift peak loads to off-peak periods.

The PJM Independent System Operator (ISO) is offering the Emergency Load-Response and the Economic Load-Response pilot programs. The programs are primarily targeted to load-serving entities (e.g., utilities); retail electricity customers may be able to participate through their electricity service providers.

Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL) offers the Demand-Side Initiative Rider. PPL provides customers with day-ahead hourly market prices for energy. Customers earn credits, equal to 75 percent of market price, by reducing usage below a predetermined reference load profile, and pay 125 percent of market price for usage above the reference load.

Penn Power (First Energy) offers the Experimental Power Curtailment Program. Participation in the program provides customers with an opportunity to receive bill credits, based on the wholesale market price of electricity, for voluntarily reducing their load during high price periods. Participation is limited to those customers who can curtail at least 1 mw, have an interval meter installed and have interval meter history available from which a historical load profile can be established. Penn Power also offers the Experimental Day Ahead Real Time Pricing Program in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the current wholesale prices, for electricity below or above a predetermined customer baseline load.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has a Small Business Assistance program, which offers grants to fund 80 percent of the total cost of a Pollution Prevention/Energy Efficiency site assessment, up to a maximum of $5,000 for Pennsylvania small businesses with 100 or fewer employees or up to a maximum of $15,000 for holders of any DEP permit (or holder of an air permit from either the Allegheny County Department of Health or Philadelphia Air Management Services).

DEP also has a Small Business Pollution Prevention Assistance Account that provides low-interest loans to businesses to help implement pollution prevention and energy-efficiency projects.

 

Rhode Island

State Energy Office
1 Capital Hill, 2nd Floor
Providence, R.I. 02908
Voice: (401) 222-3370
Fax: (401) 222-1260

Overview: This state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
The Independent System Operator New England Inc. (ISO-NE) offers the Load-Response Program, through which power marketers, competitive energy suppliers, utility companies, and other retail and wholesale energy market participants belonging to New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) can enter into agreements with retail customers to reduce electricity consumption during periods of peak demand. ISO-NE is offering two programs: The Demand-Response Program (Class 1) requires participating customers to commit to mandatory energy reductions on 30-minute notice from ISO-NE. Customers in the Demand-Response Program receive payments for ongoing participation in the program, and additional payments for the actual energy they save.

The Price-Response Program (Class 2) allows its participating customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption during certain periods as determined by ISO-NE. Customers in the Price-Response Program only receive payments for the actual energy they curtail.

Narragansett Electric Co. offers energy-efficiency services and incentives through the Design 2000plus and Energy Initiative programs.The Design 2000plus program can be used for new construction, renovation or remodeling projects. Through financial incentives, design assistance and equipment consultations, the program helps developers and architects target design opportunities that can help cut operating expenses by as much as a third. Programs are in place to identify opportunities with lighting, HVAC and motor systems as well as variable frequency drives and dry-type transformers. It’s also possible to implement a custom-designed initiative.

Through the Energy Initiative program, business customers can replace existing equipment with energy-efficient alternatives. Precalculated and customized rebates, technical consulting, and commissioning to ensure proper equipment installation are available for lighting, HVAC and motor systems as well as variable frequency drives. It’s also possible to implement a custom-designed initiative.

The Small Commercial and Industrial Program is specially designed for smaller businesses that use less than 100kw of energy. It features energy-efficient lighting and low-cost refrigeration measures and other state-of-the art electrotechnologies.


 

South Carolina

South Carolina Energy Office
1201 Main St., Suite 600
Columbia, S.C. 29201
Voice: (803) 737-8030
Fax: (803) 737-9846

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Duke Energy offers real-time pricing through their Hourly Pricing for Incremental Load rate in which customers are alternatively credited or charged, based on the day-ahead hourly market price of electricity, for usage below or above a predefined customer baseline load profile. Duke also offers a Standby Generator Control rate, in which customers receive payment for making standby generation available during system emergencies. The utility offers online energy audits for small business customers and on-site energy assessments for large commercial/industrial customers.

South Carolina Electric and Gas offers the Standby Generator Program, which provides credit to customers for operating standby generation when requested by the utility.

The South Carolina Energy Office offers ConserFund and EnerFund loans programs to fund energy-efficiency improvements in state and local governments, schools and colleges, hospitals and other not-for-profit organizations. Eligible projects can include lighting systems, HVAC systems, energy-management systems, building envelope modifications, fuel conversion projects and water conservation efforts.

EnerFund provides businesses an opportunity to promote manufacturing with recycled materials, reduce the state’s dependency on imported energy, and reduce utility bills, enhancing profit and growth strategies for the company. EnerFund loans can be used in two categories, A and B. Projects financed through EnerFund A must focus on installation of energy-efficient equipment or technology designed to reduce energy consumption, peak demand or utility costs. Eligible projects for EnerFund A include lighting systems, HVAC systems, energy management systems, building envelope modifications, alternative or renewable energy systems, fuel conversion projects, alternative transportation fuel equipment and water conservation efforts
EnerFund B funds installation of equipment or technology designed for the final processing or conversion of materials into industrial feedstock. Eligible projects EnerFund B include the use of waste material as an energy source, the manufacture of new products from recycled materials and processing of recyclable materials for specified end users.

The State Energy Office also offers free Level II energy audits for businesses and industry. Level II audits involve a walk-through review of the facility and a report on the energy efficient opportunities available there.

For schools, the state offers the Schools Lighting Grant Initiative. The Schools Initiative makes grants of up to $75,000 available to the state’s 28 most financially challenged districts — those ranking lowest in “wealth per pupil” or “required local support” as defined by the State Department of Education. The grants will provide funding for projects that install energy efficient lighting and bring illumination levels into compliance with the state’s School Facilities Planning and Construction Guide. Districts will be required to contribute a minimum cost share of 25 percent of the total project cost. If the district is unable to acquire the cost share, financing is available from the energy office’s ConserFund Loan Program. The total funding of $3 million will be awarded in three annual cycles of $1 million. To be considered for funding, an eligible school district must have completed a School Funding Initiative Grant Application along with a study detailing existing and proposed lighting, the annual cost savings that will result from implementation, and the cost of the project. School, districts could request assistance from the energy office to obtain a qualified lighting study. School districts not classified among the most financially challenged may apply to the energy office for free energy audits and low-interest loans that can be repaid directly from energy savings.

 

South Dakota

Governor’s Office of Economic Development
711 E. Wells Ave.
Pierre, S.D. 57501-3369
Voice: (605) 773-5032
Fax: (605) 773-3256

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Northern States Power Co.(Xcel Energy) offers Rate Savings Programs for business customers who agree to limit or shift energy demand to off-peak hours of the day.
 

It also offers the Saver’s Switch program. Participants agree to allow the utility to cycle air-conditioning systems remotely during periods of peak electricity demand, in exchange for a credit of $5 per ton on each month’s electricity bill during operation of the program.

Otter Tail Power Co. offers the Released Energy Access Program. When the utility expects peak conditions and high energy prices, it will alert program participants by e-mail of the price offered for released energy. Customers that wish to take the offer reply by making their commitment to curtail a specific amount of power at the required time. The utility also offers real-time pricing.

Black Hills Power offers a Business Enhancement Program to assist customers in the use of energy-efficient electro-technologies, such as energy storage and lighting. The following incentives are offered:

Lighting: Existing commercial customers who retrofit indoor lighting systems are eligible for up to a $5,000 incentive if they sign a three-year electric power service contract. Without a contract, the maximum incentive is $500.00. Incentives are based on 12 cents per watt saved for hardwire installations and 4 cents per watt saved for compact fluorescent lamps.

Power-Factor Correction: Reduced demand charges are the primary incentive for commercial and industrial customers to improve their power factor. BHP provides an account analysis, rate savings calculations and project financing. BHP requires the customer to sign a three-year electric power service contract for certain projects.

Custom Packages: Other electro-technologies may qualify for an economic development incentive including: water-loop heat pumps, geothermal-loop fields, heating or air-conditioning systems, water-heating systems, power-quality equipment, and energy-management systems. Financing, project design assistance or an economic development rate may also be options to consider.

These economic development incentives would be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and BHP would expect the customer to sign at least a 3-year contract extension or, if a smaller customer, sign a 5-year contract for electric service. Economic development rates would require a negotiated contract for up to 7 years.

Otter Tail Power Co. offers grants for a number of energy-efficient technologies, including lighting, motors and heat pumps through the Commercial and Industrial Grant Program.

 

Tennessee

Energy Division, Department of Economics & Community Development
Tennessee Tower
312 8th Ave., North, 9th Floor
Nashville, Tenn. 37243
Voice: (615) 741-2994
Fax: (615) 741-5070

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency programs.

Initiatives:
Nashville Electric Service offers several energy services, including turnkey energy-efficiency retrofits and renovations, and financing.

The Energy Division of the Department of Economics & Community Development offers the Small Business Energy Loan Program. Businesses with fewer than 300 employees or less than $3.5 million in annual gross sales or receipts are eligible for the program. Companies are able to borrow up to $100,000 at 5 percent annual interest and repay monthly over a period of up to 7 years. Free energy audits and technical assistance is available.

The Local Government Energy Efficiency Loan Program offers low-interest loans to municipal and county governments for energy efficiency-related projects in courthouses, administration buildings, schools and maintenance facilities. Eligible projects include energy-efficient lighting, HVAC and boiler rebuilding, replacement or modification. Local governments may borrow up to $500,000 and repay the loan back annually for 7 years. The current annual interest rate is 3 percent and is subject to change. Free energy audits and technical assistance is available.

 

Texas

State Energy Conservation Office Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
111 E. 17th St., 11th Floor
Austin, Texas 78701
Voice: (512) 463-1931
Fax: (512) 475-2569

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs. Under Texas legislation, electric utilities are required to implement energy-efficiency programs that reduce the utility’s forecasted annual growth in demand by at least 10 percent by January 2004. The Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUCT) approved a set of statewide standard offer and market transformation programs that may be available to customers in each of the investor-owned utilities’ service territories.

Initiatives:
Central Power and Light Co., Reliant Houston Light and Power, Southwestern Electric Power Co., TXU and West Texas Utilities offer real-time pricing programs to commercial and industrial customers.

The Commercial and Industrial Standard Offer Program and the Residential and Small Commercial/Industrial Standard Offer Program are offered by the states’ major utilities, including, American Electric Power (AEP) (Southwestern Electric Power Co., Central Power and Light Co., and West Texas Utilities), TXU Electric, Reliant Houston Light and Power, Entergy (EGSI Texas), and El Paso Energy. These programs provide incentives to implement energy-efficiency and summer peak demand reduction measures. Customers may either participate directly, or have a third party, such as an energy service company or equipment vendor, act as the Project Sponsor. Incentives are paid for both energy and summer peak demand savings and are based on either deemed savings values or measurement and verification. Incentive levels and eligibility requirements vary for each utility.

 

Utah

Utah Energy Office
1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3610
P.O. Box 146480
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6480
Voice: (801) 538-5428
Fax: (801) 538-4795

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
PacifiCorp offers the Energy Exchange program, an Internet-based, voluntary demand-reduction program. PacifiCorp posts a price for each hour that a load reduction is needed, and customers may respond by pledging to curtail a specified load. Participants are paid for each hour of curtailment based on the measured load reduction. Eligibility is limited to customers who have exceeded 1 mw within the previous year.

The utility also offers its Energy FinAnswer Large Commercial and Industrial Program, providing rebates for energy-efficient equipment, including lighting, motors and HVAC. The program incorporates a variety of energy-efficiency services, such as facility energy analysis, detailed design assistance, competitive financing, commissioning and post-installation savings verification.

The Utah Commercial Industrial Energy Efficiency Program provides Utah businesses with no-cost energy auditing services. The survey provides information about existing lightning and electric motor system designs, and savings associated with new lightning and electric motor upgrades. Low-interest loans are offered to finance energy-efficiency retrofits.

 

Vermont

Energy Efficiency Division, Vermont Department of Public Service
112 State St., Drawer 20
Montpelier, Vt. 05620-2601
Voice: (802) 828-2811
Fax: (802)828-2342
www.efficiencyvermont.com

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
The Independent System Operator New England Inc. (ISO-NE) offers the Load-Response Program, through which power marketers, competitive energy suppliers, utility companies and other retail energy market participants belonging to New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) can enter into agreements with retail customers to reduce electricity consumption during periods of peak demand. ISO-NE is offering two separate programs: The Demand-Response Program (Class 1) requires participating customers to commit to mandatory energy reductions on 30-minute notice from ISO-NE. Customers in the Demand Response Program receive payments for ongoing participation in the program, and additional payments for the actual energy they save.

The Price-Response Program (Class 2) allows its participating customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption during certain periods as determined by ISO-NE. Customers in the Price Response Program only receive payments for the actual energy they curtail.

Efficiency Vermont offers services for small, large, retrofit and new construction projects. Its Equipment Replacement program offers financial incentives for installing energy-efficient models of:
 

Small projects can receive up to $1,000 for efficient lighting, motors or HVAC. For larger projects, the program will analyze and recommend energy-efficiency options, identify sources of energy-efficient equipment, verify equipment installation and provide financial incentives for qualifying equipment

For renovation projects, the program provides comprehensive assistance to optimize a building’s energy efficiency, including:

For new construction projects, the program can provide an independent source of technical knowledge and resources to:

Virginia

Division of Energy, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals & Energy
202 N. Ninth St., 8th Floor
Richmond, Va. 23219
Voice: (804) 692-3200
Fax: (804) 692-3238

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Allegheny Power offers the Generation Buy-Back Program, in which the utility may declare curtailment events and offer to pay for load reductions at a fixed price per kwh. Interested participants respond with a commitment to curtail. Eligibility is limited to customers with a maximum demand of at least 300 kw.

Appalachian Power Co. offers two load-management programs: The Emergency Curtailable Service Rider provides credit, based on curtailed energy use, to participants for reducing load when requested by the utility during emergency conditions.

The Price Curtailable Service Rider provides credit, based on curtailed energy use, to participants for reducing load when requested by the utility during high price periods. The participant specifies the minimum price as well as the maximum number of days they would be willing to curtail.

In both programs, customers must curtail upon notification or be assessed non-compliance penalties. Participation limited to customers with curtailable demand of at least 3 mw.

Virginia Power offers the Economic Load Curtailment Energy Curtailment Option programs, which provides credit to participants for voluntarily reducing demand upon request by the utility. Eligibility is limited to customers who have a maximum demand of at least 1 mw and can curtail at least 500 kw.

The Division of Energy, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals & Energy and Department of Treasury administer the Technical Assistance Grant Program for government buildings. The program makes grants to agencies for funding the professional and technical services needed to evaluate a building’s energy-using systems, identify efficiency opportunities, and design energy projects which can be implemented using Virginia’s Lease Financing Program.

The Lease Financing Program provides funding for energy-efficiency projects in state facilities. It allows for the installment purchase of the services and equipment required to develop, design, and install an energy project. Agencies can lease or borrow a minimum of $10,000 and make repayments over three, five or seven years. Eligible projects include lighting and motor-efficiency upgrades, building envelope enhancements, distribution system improvements and energy-management control system modifications.

 

Washington

Washington Energy Policy Office, Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
P.O. Box 43173
925 Plum St., SE, Building 4
Olympia, Wash. 98504-3173
Voice: (360) 956-2098
Fax: (360) 956-2180

Overview: The state has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Avista Utilities offers the Buy Back of Customer Power program, which provides credit to customers for voluntarily reducing their demand. Participation is limited to customers with a demand of at least 3,000 kva, who can curtail a total of at least 1 mwh during a 24-hour period.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is offering the Demand Exchange Program, an Internet-based, load-reduction bidding program. Participants are alerted to hourly, one-day, and two-day price signals associated with peak load events and are able to post their willingness to participate at a price. Eligibility is limited to participants able to curtail and generate at least 1 mw.

Puget Sound Energy offers the Voluntary Load-Curtailment Service for its largest business customers who voluntarily reduce energy usage during peak periods. PSE notifies participants of a curtailment opportunity by pager or e-mail by 9 a.m. Participants are informed of credit per kwh for energy during the next day’s curtailment period. Those who want to curtail use respond by e-mail before noon, telling the utility how many kwh will be curtailed. For those who accept, PSE monitors usage during the curtailment period. Those who reach the agreed-upon power reduction receive a cash credit on the next bill for half the power cost savings, adjusted for transmission loss and current energy price. Because credit is based on wholesale market prices, higher prices yield higher credit.

Credits are determined based on a formula using the current wholesale market rate for energy during the curtailment period.

Seattle City Light offers a Variable-Rate General Service, under which the peak and off-peak energy charges for each day are defined by either the corresponding Dow Jones-California Oregon Border or Dow Jones-Mid Columbia daily electricity prices.

Avista Utilities provides incentives for hardwired improvements to the customer for making equipment upgrades. The incentive is based on the first-year energy savings, in kwh or therms.

The incentive level is based upon the simple payback of the measure prior to the application of an incentive, as calculated by the utility staff and based upon standardized measure costs. Simple payback is defined as the project’s capital cost divided by the energy savings per year.

All incentives are capped at 50 percent of total project cost as determined by the utility based upon industry standards. The incentive level breakdown for electric and natural gas efficiency measures are:

Electric Efficiency:

Fuel-Conversion:

Natural Gas Efficiency:

To be eligible for incentives, contact Avista in the early stages of project development. Incentives cannot be paid on projects that are already under construction or that are being developed without Avista’s involvement.

Seattle City Light offers a variety of energy-efficiency programs through their Energy $mart Services: Incentives, based on kwh savings, are available to medium and large commercial customers for installing energy efficient equipment, including lighting, HVAC, transformers, controls, window glazing or other custom measures. These incentives are available for both retrofit projects and new construction.

For small commercial customers, rebates for replacing inefficient lighting are available through the $mart Business Program.

Free facility Energy Audits are available to medium and large commercial customers to assess a facility’s resource and operation efficiencies and to identify efficiency improvement opportunities.

For New Construction projects, the utility offers partial reimbursement for the design and engineering services necessary to develop cost-effective conservation measures as well as for a building commissioning plan.

 

Washington D.C.

Energy Office D.C. Energy Office
2000 14th St., NW, Suite 300E
Washington, D.C. 20009
Voice: (202) 673-6700
Fax: (202) 673-6725

Overview: The district has demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
The Potomac Electric Power Co. (PEPCO) offers special rate schedules to their commercial and industrial customers for cogeneration and thermal energy storage.
 

West Virginia

Energy Efficiency Program West Virginia Development Office
Building 6, Room 645
State Capitol Complex
Charleston, W. Va. 25305
Voice: (304) 558-0350
Fax: (304) 558-0362

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
Appalachian Power Co. offers two load management programs:

In both programs, customers must curtail upon notification or be assessed non-compliance penalties. Participation limited to customers with a curtailable demand of at least 1 mw.

The West Virginia Development Office has a Lighting Grant Program. Up to $10,000 is provided on a 50-50 basis to support the implementation of Green Lights audits conducted for schools, non-profit hospitals and government entities.

 

Wisconsin

Department of Administration, Division of Energy and Public Benefits
101 E. Wilson St., 6th Floor
P.O. Box 7868
Madison, Wis. 53707-7868
Voice: (608) 266-8234
Fax: (608) 267-6931

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs. Wisconsin Focus on Energy, operated by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) implements public benefits programs. Annual funding levels for energy-efficiency will be about $62 million per year. All public benefits programs are to be administered eventually by the DOA, however, utilities are allowed to phase out the administration of their share of funds and transfer that money to the DOA over a period of up to three years.

Initiatives:
Madison Gas & Electric offers a range of time-of-use rates for commercial and industrial customers with varying load-shedding capabilities. In addition, customers able to shed 75 kw or more can subscribe to Direct Control Interruptible Service as well as the Summer Curtailable Service during the summer months. Larger customers might be interested in the Interruptible Service if they have the ability to shed 500 kw or more.

Northern States Power (NSP) offers commercial and industrial customers several rate options to limit or shift their energy demands to off-peak hours of the day. Two options are available: Peak controlled rate: Customers who curtail all or a portion of their electrical load during periods when overall demand is at its highest can realize savings on their electric costs through demand charge discounts, coupled with direct credits, when interruptions occur. Specific dollar savings depend on the customer’s controllable load.

Saver’s Switch: NSP uses a control switch to cycle air conditioning on and off at 15-minute intervals when demand for electricity peaks.

Wisconsin Electric (WE) has two energy buyback programs. The Dollars for Power program pays pre-established bid prices for voluntary peak demand reductions of at least 50 kw. Larger customers can receive market-based compensation in return for load reductions of 500 kw or more through the Power Market Incentives program.

The utility also offers several rate options for load management. Its Energy Cooperative program is a new approach to large-scale load curtailment where commercial and industrial customers voluntarily commit to load reduction as a group during peak periods. In addition, WE offers a curtailable rate, an interruptible rate and real-time pricing.

Wisconsin Public Service Corp. (WPSC) offers time-of-use rates for their business and industrial customers. The off-peak and on-peak rates are 3.05 and 12.40 cents per kwh respectively. Customers who are able to shift their load to off-peak times save over the regular rate of 6.61 cents per kwh.

The utility also offers the HELP Program, which gives customers a selection of ways in which to shed energy loads. The options are:

Choice 1. Central Air Conditioner – Load Shed: Shut-off will likely occur in the afternoon and early evening and last between 1 and 8 hours; shut-off is not likely before 10 a.m., after 8 p.m. or on weekends; energy bill is credited $8 in June, July, August and September.

Choice 2. Central Air Conditioner – Cycling: Power to the air conditioner may be cycled for a maximum of 8 hours a day; shut-off is not likely before 10 a.m., after 8 p.m. or on weekends; energy bill is credited $4 in June, July, August and September.

Choice 3: Central Air Conditioner - Combine Choices 1 & 2: Give WPSC the option to use either choice 1 or choice 2, but not both at the same time; energy bill is credited $9 in June, July, August and September.

Choice 4: Electric Water Heater - Load Shed: Shut-off is most likely to occur on hot summer days but could occur anytime during the year; energy bill is credited $2 every month.

Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) offers a shared savings program to help finance energy-efficiency improvements in commercial facilities. Under this program, customers repay the capital loaned by MGE with savings generated from reduced energy expenses. For a limited time, special interest rates of 2 percent are available for shared savings financing of adjustable-speed drive projects.

Minnesota Power (MP) offers their commercial and industrial customers energy audits at no charge to the customer for audits costing less than $1,200. Costs beyond that will be shared 50-50 with the customer up to $2,400 maximum.

MP also offers rebates under their PowerGrant program for kw or kwh saved over the life of the equipment. Technologies that qualify for this program include lighting, energy-management systems and air conditioning. MP also provides low-interest financing to cover the cost of installing energy-efficient equipment. The amount varies according to estimated savings, with a maximum of $60,000 awarded to projects saving 500 kw or more.

Northern States Power (NSP) offers incentives for installing electric heat storage utilizing off-peak electric rates. New as well as retrofit projects are applicable.

The utility’s Cooling Efficiency Improvement program provides money-back coupons toward routine maintenance of existing cooling systems to its commercial and industrial customers. The utility offers audit and feasibility study grants that assist in identifying and implementing energy and cost-saving opportunities. NSP co-funds 75 percent (not to exceed $750) of the cost of an energy audit and co-funds 50 percent (not exceeding $3,000) of an end-use study. NSP also subsidizes the cost of a boiler inspection and efficiency test for commercial natural gas boilers. Incentives are available for 50 percent of the inspection cost, not to exceed $50 for boilers that are under 300,000 BTUs and $100 for boilers of 300,000 BTUs and above. There is a bonus of $25 offered to customers who sign a new maintenance contract.

The natural gas efficiency program offers incentives for commercial, industrial or agribusiness natural gas users who replace their existing forced-air furnaces or boilers. Incentives are offered for upgrading thermostats with programmable units. Also, 15 percent of insulation costs can be covered when improving building insulation. Also, when improving the performance of a boiler system by installing pipe insulation, customers can receive 25 cents per foot of piping, up to 50 percent of material costs.

Finally, NSP offers incentives and awards for energy-efficient new construction.

Wisconsin Gas runs a hot water equipment leasing program, in which all installation and maintenance is provided free of charge.


 

Wyoming

Energy Program, Wyoming Business Council
214 West 15th Street
Cheyenne, Wyo. 82002
Voice: (307) 777-2800
Fax: (307) 777-2837

Overview: The state has energy-efficiency and demand-response programs.

Initiatives:
PacifiCorp offers the Energy Exchange program, an Internet-based, voluntary demand-reduction program. PacifiCorp posts a price for each hour that a load reduction is needed, and customers may respond by pledging to curtail a specified load. Participants are paid for each hour of curtailment based on the measured load reduction. Eligibility is limited to customers who have exceeded 1 mw within the previous year.

PacifiCorp’s Energy FinAnswer Large Commercial and Industrial Program provides rebates for energy efficient equipment, including lighting, motors and HVAC. The program also incorporates a variety of energy-efficiency services, such as facility energy analysis, detailed design assistance, competitive financing, commissioning and post-installation savings verification.

Black Hills Power offers a Business Enhancement Program to assist customers in the use of energy-efficient electro-technologies, such as energy storage and lighting. The following incentives are offered:

Lighting: Existing commercial customers who retrofit indoor lighting systems are eligible for up to a $5,000 incentive if they sign a three-year electric power service contract. Without a contract, the maximum incentive is $500.00. Incentives are based on $0.12 per watt saved for hardwire installations and $0.04 per watt saved for compact fluorescent lamps.

Power Factor Correction: Reduced demand charges are the primary incentive for commercial and industrial customers to improve their power factor. BHP provides an account analysis, rate savings calculations, and project financing. BHP requires the customer to sign a three-year electric power service contract for certain projects.

Custom Packages: Other electro-technologies may qualify for an economic development incentive including water-loop heat pumps, geothermal-loop fields, heating or air-conditioning systems, water heating systems, power-quality equipment, and energy-management systems. Financing, project design assistance, or an economic development rate may also be options to consider.

These economic development incentives would be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and BHP would expect the customer to sign at least a 3-year contract extension or, if a smaller customer, sign a 5-year all requirements contract for electric service. Economic development rates would require a negotiated contract for up to 7 years.

 

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