Small business customers of Atlantic City Electric — including nonprofits — are now eligible to get a no-cost energy assessment, as well as incentives and interest-free financing to undertake recommended energy efficiency upgrades.
The allowance is one of many energy efficiency programs the utility will enact after having a series of proposals approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities earlier this week.
A suite of energy efficiency programs was approved, including:
- Incentives to install high-efficiency equipment: This includes energy-efficient lighting, appliances, heating and cooling equipment, and food service equipment, among other items for commercial and industrial customers;
- Engineered solutions: The utility will assist medium to large commercial customers, including municipalities, universities, schools, hospitals and nonprofits, in identifying and undertaking large energy efficiency projects through a no-cost, in-depth facility audit, tailored incentives and interest-free financing;
- Energy management: Midsize to large commercial and industrial customers will be given incentives for optimizing equipment and processes through tuneups for building equipment and changes for HVAC, building automation, controls, industrial processes and electrical systems.
The programs, which also include items for residential customers, are expected to launch in July.
Atlantic City Electric said the new programs are expected to save customers more than $550 million, as well as create clean, sustainable jobs, improve air quality, help improve equity in South Jersey communities and help combat the effects of climate change.
The programs also support New Jersey’s goals for a Clean Energy Future, with an expected 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions reduction — the equivalent of removing nearly 300,000 cars from the road for one year — and reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 885 tons and nitrous oxide emissions by 783 tons.
Atlantic City Electric Region President Gary Stockbridge called the approval an exciting step.
“The approval of our energy efficiency programs is a critical and exciting step to support energy savings and maintain affordable service for all of our customers,” he said. “Our programs will help all our customers, including every size business, renters and homeowners, and households with limited incomes. Whether you are looking to implement minor changes or are ready for a larger project with even greater energy savings, our programs will offer a variety of options to meet the energy needs of every customer.”
Atlantic City Electric’s new residential programs include:
- Efficient products: Provides incentives and rebates, as well as a convenient online marketplace, for energy-efficient products such as lighting, appliances, heating and cooling equipment, and more.
- Home performance with ENERGY STAR: Provides customers with single-family homes with a free energy audit and energy efficiency action plan, as well as interest-free financing and other incentives, to encourage them to pursue comprehensive upgrades.
- Home energy reports: Offers guidance on low- and no-cost energy-saving strategies and motivates customers to engage in energy-saving behaviors through personalized home energy reports.
- Quick home energy checkup: Provides renters and homeowners with an initial assessment of their home’s energy use, installs simple energy-saving measures at no cost and identifies energy-saving opportunities for further consideration.
- Moderate-income weatherization: Provides customers with limited incomes with no-cost home energy audits and up to $7,500 in home energy retrofits, such as building shell and weatherization measures, lighting, HVAC replacements and water-saving measures.
- Multifamily program: Provides multifamily buildings with energy assessments, installs standard energy-saving measures and develops a project plan for comprehensive energy-savings opportunities tailored to the customer and building, as well as access to interest-free financing to undertake the plan.
