We’re no gymnasts, but we do like to stay flexible. So when we noticed a lot of the same custom projects coming through the rebate pipeline—and especially when we heard from members that they were interested in new rebates—we stretched. Now you get quicker turnaround times for projects that formerly were custom projects but now are part of our prescriptive rebate program. You spend less time with the application process, and we get cash back to you quicker. It’s like we all get a gold medal in Making Things Easier. (Hey, it’s not as cool as the balance beam, but it does require impressive coordination.)

Here’s a rundown of what’s new for 2015. And by the way, the projects that you get underway any time in 2014 still qualify for our current rebates as long as you complete them by February 28, 2015.

• LEDs for Business Members: This is the big one. The long-awaited update. Now, when you replace incandescent bulbs with LED screw-ins or fluorescents with LED troffers, you can earn $7.50 to $125 per fixture. In fact, here’s what you’re looking at for the various types:
  LED screw-ins replacing incandescents – $7.50 to $15
  LED low bays replacing HIDs – $80
  LED high bays replacing HIDs – $125
  LED troffers replacing fluorescents – $40 to $50
  All LED bulbs must be DLC or ENERGY STAR-listed based on type and application.
• LEDs for Residential Members: The switch of a bulb—from incandescent to ENERGY STAR listed—can earn residential members $7.50. Prices on LED bulbs have really been coming down, and they’re much more widely available, which makes now the perfect time to start making the switch. Doing so brings big energy savings, and unlike CFL bulbs, LEDs switch on instantly and fare just fine in cold weather.
• Chillers: Businesses replacing a below-code chiller can earn incentives from $25 to $40 per ton based on size and efficiency tier levels. Chillers above 300 tons can still earn rebates through our custom program.
• Variable Frequency Drives for Process Applications: For qualifying VFDs up to 200 HP, we’ll be paying $80/ton in 2015 up to $25,000.
• Custom Projects: We’ve shifted some incentive cash to encourage more nonlighting projects, and so our lighting rebate is dropping a penny to 5 cents per kilowatt hour saved, and our nonlighting incentive is jumping from 6 cents to 8 cents per kilowatt hour saved, which makes 2015 a good year to undertake an HVAC project if you know your equipment is nearing the end of its usefulness.
• Agricultural Lighting: We’ll no longer calculate rebates using lighting power density, and starting in 2015, we’ll pay for agricultural lighting updates on a per-bulb basis. CFLs of 30 watts or less earn $1.50/bulb; CFLs of 31-115 watts earn $3/bulb; screw-in LEDs equal to or less than 20 watts earn $7.50/bulb; and LEDs 21 watts or over earn $15/bulb.

Questions? Get in touch with your Energy Advisor. And make sure to keep an eye out for our updated application forms, which will contain all the details for each of these rebates. We’ll have them up on the site by mid-December.