Free energy assessments to “Green” your bottom line

NYSERDA’s program can help small businesses and not-for-profits

“The cheapest kilowatt hour is the one you don’t use.” This statement couldn’t be truer, but where can small business owners and not-for-profit organizations learn how to be more energy efficient?

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), through its Small Commercial Energy Efficiency Program, is offering free energy assessments to businesses with 10 employees or less and an average annual electric demand of 100kW or less. These assessments, or energy audits, analyze energy usage to help you make informed energy decisions and to implement energy-efficiency strategies. They also help to identify economically viable improvements that can yield substantial annual energy savings in your facilities.

The Daylight Savings Company, an energy efficiency consulting/engineering firm, is contracted to provide these services in Rockland County, as well as Orange, Putnam, and Westchester counties and the Bronx.

So what are the benefits of an energy assessment?

Learning how to lower your energy consumption is an excellent way to reduce your operating costs. It’s also an opportunity to set a powerful example of good environmental stewardship to your customers. Customers will often frequent a “Green” business that is taking steps to reducing their energy consumption and carbon footprint. Green and sustainability initiatives are now part of many corporate business models due to their socioeconomic benefits.

The energy assessment consists of utility data analysis and an onsite visit by an energy engineer. He/she inventories any equipment that uses energy, including lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, motors, pumps, etc., and then “crunches the numbers” using computer software to generate an energy assessment report. This customized, objective report identifies various energy conservation measures, calculates paybacks, and serves as a roadmap toward implementation.

To help offset the cost of implementation, NYSERDA offers various incentive based programs, as well as low interest financing options. There are also utility company incentive programs you may be eligible for.

Financing

NYSERDA offers two low-interest loan options to finance energy efficiency projects.

Option 1: Participation Loan

NYSERDA provides 50% of the energy project cost, up to $50,000, at 0% interest and a lender participating in the Program provides the balance of the energy project cost at the market interest rate. Customers who finance through Participation Loans can access up to $100,000 in energy efficiency financing. To repay the loan, customers make loan payments to their lender, and the lender takes care of paying NYSERDA back.

Option 2: On-Bill Recovery Loan

NYSERDA also offers eligible customers On-Bill Recovery Loans of up to $50,000 at 2.5% interest rate. A lender participating in the program originates the loan and issues the payment to the customer. Customers who finance through On-Bill Recovery loans repay their loan through a monthly charge on their utility bill.

NYSERDA’s small commercial energy assessments, access to low interest financing and financial incentives provide a great opportunity for organizations with high energy use and long operating hours to save money on their energy bills. Most report immediate savings on their energy bills when they make these upgrades. It’s money we know that your small businesses or not-for-profits can put to better use.

By making energy efficiency improvements, you can make your facilities more comfortable, enjoy savings on energy costs and do something good for your environment and community.

How to Get Started

The easiest way to begin the process is to contact Daylight Savings directly. We will be able to gather the necessary information for the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) that is required by New York State. Brian Nieves of The Daylight Savings Company may be reached at bnieves@daylightsavings.us or 1-800-337-2192 or 845-291-1275 ext. 315.