As a small business owner, you work hard to manage overhead costs like energy usage and keep your business profitable. However, without an engineer or dedicated maintenance professional on staff, upgrading to energy-efficient equipment can be overwhelming to navigate. What should you install? How much energy will you really save? Will it be worth the investment?
Fortunately, SMECO’s program offers incentives for eligible* businesses to make improvements in 3 areas: HVAC, refrigeration, and lighting.
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)
Want to step up your savings even more? Consider installing a smart thermostat, which can automatically make temperature adjustments based on your business’ schedule and can be controlled with a mobile device. This ensures that even when your business isn’t open, you’re still saving money. Through the Small Business Solutions program, you can have a smart thermostat installed for as little as $69.
Lighting
No matter your business, you need to keep the lights on. Lighting technology has significantly evolved in the past 10 years, and LED is now the industry standard for efficient lighting.
LED technology is a great choice for many reasons:
- Over time, old bulbs begin to dim, eventually burning out. LED bulbs do not dim with time, looking as good today as when they were installed years . An added bonus: since LEDs last longer, they don’t need to be changed as often, reducing the amount of maintenance.
- LED lighting can be made even MORE efficient by pairing it with controls like occupancy sensors and light sensors.
Refrigeration
If you own a liquor store, convenience store, restaurant, or corner market, your commercial refrigeration equipment also makes up a significant portion of your annual electric costs.
Did you know you can make your walk-in coolers and freezers, reach-in display cases, and novelty coolers more efficient with a retrofit instead of a full replacement? Improvements can be made to your fans, motors, lights, anti-sweat door heaters, and more. SMECO’s Small Business Solutions can cover up to 80% of the cost of these retrofits, making it easier for your business to invest in its bottom line.
To learn more about SMECO Small Business Solutions visit Ready to jump start your business’ savings journey and determine your eligibility? Email us at Business@SMECO.coop or call (866) 235-6044.
* To be eligible for Small Business Solutions incentives, SMECO members must have a commercial account with an average demand of 60 kW or less for 12 consecutive months.
** Source: EnergyStar.gov
