Energy Efficiency

MidAmerican Energy offers a variety of energy efficiency rebate programs to its nonresidential customers located in Illinois. The amount of the rebate varies greatly depending on the technology, its size and efficiency.

Rebates must be submitted within three months of equipment installation in existing buildings and within six months of equipment installation in new construction. An itemized and dated invoice from the contractor must accompany the equipment application and must include details about the sizes and efficiency of all equipment. MidAmerican Energy also offers a custom system rebate for projects that improve energy efficiency but may not fit into the prescribed rebate programs.

MidAmerican Energy also offers the BusinessCheck program, which is a free on-site energy audit service for small commercial facilities. An energy specialist will give recommendations and have several energy efficient options ready to install during the visit. Audit applications are available from the BusinessCheck Program web site. The Non-Residential Energy Analysis Program and Commercial New Construction Program also provide incentives and no cost services to eligible non-residential customers.

Mason County PUD 3 offers rebates to its non-residential customers for implementing energy efficient lighting, motor rewinds, ductless heat pumps, commercial kitchen and food service equipment, and custom projects. Prescriptive rebates vary by type and the efficiency of purchased equipment. Information on some of these programs is available on the program web site. For more details on all rebate programs, contact the Energy Conservation Department at Mason County PUD 3.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers incentives to commercial customers which help cover the installation costs of energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling equipment, motors, variable frequency drives and custom measures. Customers seeking rebates for heating and cooling equipment must also install MMU's Load Management receiver (ELF) in order to qualify. A custom rebate is also available for commercial and industrial customers and provides rebates for measures not covered under other rebate programs. Typical projects include compressed air systems, ice storage systems, refrigeration systems, chillers, and premium efficiency motors. All projects must be pre-approved by MMU to be eligible for a rebate.

MMU Customers may also participate in the Bright Energy Solutions commercial rebate program which is conducted by Missouri River Energy Services in conjuction with MMU. 

Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) is a joint-action agency which generates and sells reliable electricity at wholesale to its eighteen non-profit, municipally-owned member utilities, and develops innovative products and services to help them deliver value to customers. With help from SMMPA, Litchfield Public Utilities provides incentives for its commercial and industrial customers to improve the energy efficiency of facilities. Rebates are available for qualified dishwashers, clothes washers, air conditioners (central and room), lighting, heat pumps (air-source and geothermal), dehumidifiers, refrigerators, and freezers. Appliances must be ENERGY STAR to qualify for the rebate, and bonus incentives are available in some cases if the old working appliance is properly recycled. 

Lincoln Electric System (LES) offers a variety of energy efficiency incentives for commercial and industrial customers through the Sustainable Energy Program (SEP). Some incentives are provided on a prescriptive basis and some on a custom basis. Incentives are available on air conditioners, heat pumps, insulation, building controls, compressed air, variable frequency drives, system commissioning, and custom rebates. Specified energy efficiency equipment requirements must be met in order to receive rebates under this program.

The program will end on December 31, 2015 (or sooner, if funds are expended). Contact LES for more program information or view the program web site listed above. Differing information given by Lincoln Electric System will supersede this information. 

Lakeland Electric offers several incentives for commercial customers to save energy in eligible facilities. Rebates are available for vending machine controllers, facility system upgrades and commercial lighting upgrades. Lakeland Electric may provide up to three Vending Miser units installed at commercial facilities in Lakeland service territory. The lighting rebate of up to $1,000 is available for all lighting retrofits where incandescent bulbs are replaced with CFL or LED lighting. In addition to these rebates, Lakeland Electric will pay 50% of the cost, up to $5,000, for commercial customers to increase energy efficiency at a participating facility. This rebate program is specifically available to GSLD, Interruptible, and ELDC rate customers. Lighting systems, HVAC systems and motors are most commonly upgraded under this program, while other measures will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) is a joint-action agency which generates and sells reliable electricity at wholesale to its eighteen non-profit, municipally-owned member utilities, and develops innovative products and services to help them deliver value to customers. With help from SMMPA, Lake City Utilities provides incentives for commercial and industrial customers to improve the energy efficiency of facilities. Rebates are available for a variety of energy-efficient equipment: lighting, HVAC, replacement motors, variable speed drives, anti-sweat heater controls for cooler/freezer doors, food service equipment, and custom measures. Each type of equipment has minimum efficiency and performance ratings which must be met in order to qualify for the rebate. 

La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) offers a variety of rebates for members to improve the efficiency of homes and facilities. Rebates are available for a variety of Energy Star appliances, the recycling of a refrigerator or freezer, electric water heaters, permanent electric heat, energy efficient motors, heat pumps, and commercial lighting measures.

The Energy Star Appliance and Refrigerator Recycling Program offers rebates for clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and refrigerator/freezer recycling. Customers have 180 days from date of purchase to apply for the rebate. Following purchase, customers must submit an original proof-of-purchase along with the completed rebate form to the LPEA office in either Durango or Pagosa Springs. The rebates will be credited to LPEA customers’ electric bills within the following billing cycle.

The Energy Efficiency Credits program offers rebates for water heaters, electric thermal storage heaters, electric motors, air-source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, and lighting upgrades for commercial customers. Equipment must meet certain efficiency standards listed on the program web site. For these incentives, customers are required to provide LPEA an itemized receipt and/or work order as evidence of purchase before receiving the check/bill credit.

KCP&L offers two types of rebate incentives – Standard and Custom. Since the rebate programs vary between the KCP&L service areas “Greater Missouri Operations” (rate schedule code 1xxxx) and “KCP&L-Missouri” (rate schedule code MOxxx), interested customers should visit the program website or contact a KCP&L customer service representative for more specific information.

Standard incentives are available for lighting and controls; air conditioning, heat pumps, and chillers; pumps and variable frequency drives; appliances; business computing; food service and refrigeration; and air compressors (“KCP&L-Missouri” service area only).

Custom rebates are also available upon request. All Custom rebates are analyzed individually to ensure that they meet KCP&L’s Societal Benefit/Cost Guidelines. Custom rebates are calculated as the lesser of a buydown to a 2-year payback or 50% of the incremental cost. Custom rebates are available for existing and new facilities.

FY2014-15 of the program runs from May 1, 2014 through April 30, 2015. 

The Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) offers rebates to member municipal utilities* (those who purchase wholesale electric service from IMEA) and retail customers for energy efficiency upgrades. The incentive program provides up to 75% of the project cost in rebates or grants for qualified efficiency projects --although all incentives are subject to funding availability. Rebates are provided for a variety of projects including custom measures. The same program eligibility and applications apply.

Eligible projects are those which will result in electricity savings, either through equipment upgrades, or building or process improvements. A wide range of efficiency technologies and equipment, such as lighting, HVAC, motors, insulation, vending controls, among others, are eligible. Specific rebate amounts are provided in IMEA's application. Custom projects will also be considered under a separate incentive level of $0.10 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for one year's estimated energy savings and breakthrough equipment and exterior lighting will be provided an incentive level of $0.30/kWh for one year's estimated energy savings. The energy savings of the selected equipment must provide a financial payback before the useful life of the equipment expires. The bonus rate for peak shaving is $50.00 per kW saved at time of city peak.

A bonus rate for power factor correction can be calculated two ways. The applicant may choose to request a bonus that is $2.00 per kVar improved. Or, the applicant can request a $350 bonus for a power factor correction project that raises the power factor from anything below 0.95 to 0.95 or better.

Pre-approval is required, and interested applicants should reserve funding prior to purchasing any equipment. Interested applicants should submit applications to their municipal utility first. The municipal utility will submit it to IMEA for review. IMEA is working with the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity to administer the rebate. If approved, rebate recipients are required to provide all receipts and invoices in a final application due within 45 days of project completion.