Many businesses qualify for cash incentives to help offset project costs that reduce energy or electric demand. However millions of dollars are left on the table because Customers are not following the processes required by the programs. Many customers attempt to file for the incentives themselves directly, and then call us at the last minute to help them secure the cash incentive or after the project is done, which is too late!
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| Project Type | 2019 and Beyond Total Possible Incentive ($/kW) | Project Cost Incentive Limit** |
| Thermal Storage | $2,520/kW | Up to 50% |
| High Efficiency Electric Chiller | $1,620/kW | Up to 50% |
| HVAC/BMS/Controls | $1,620/kW | HVAC up to 50% BMS/Controls up to 70% |
| Lighting Controls | $1,620/kW | Up to 70% |
| Demand Response Enablement – | $1,440/kW | Up to 70% |
| Steam Turbine Chiller, Double Stage Absorption Chiller, Gas Driven Chiller* | $1,440/kW | Up to 50% |
| Steam Turbine Chiller Control Panel for Improved Efficiency* | $720/kW | Up to 70% |
| Single Stage Absorption Chiller* | $720/kW | Up to 50% |
| Battery Storage | $1,620/kW | Up to 50% |
| DR Enablement – Generation | $720/kW | Up to 50% |
The utility incentive and rebate programs require an extensive amount of paperwork, analysis, and reporting that is typically over and above what is expected to be required by someone who is not used to processing these incentives. For example, the Program Administrator will require a forensic analysis on your existing system whether it be HVAC, Elevators or Lighting. The analysis will include extensive documentation including metering and verification data, maintenance documents and an engineering analysis. Please see our blog on the entire incentive process by clicking this link.
We have found that customers who rely on tradesmen to secure incentives or try to file them on their own get frustrated on the complexities and wind up settling for the minimal amount of incentive rates possible. For example, a standard air conditioning upgrade qualifies for about $190/ton. However if a building integrates a demand response program, or extended life program may supersize an incentive offer up to $1,200/ton or more!
LC Associates came up with a plan to “partner” with our Clients over 19 years ago. Our Firm identifies the potential projects that may qualify for a Con Edison cash incentive. LCA files applications for these “wait and see” projects for which Con Edison provides a “preliminary Incentive Offer Letter”. The business then has a decision to make, rather than wait-and-see if the equipment breaks, they could preemptively upgrade. The other option is to continue to wait-and-see.
LC Associates works off a contingency model. In a contingency pricing model, the service provider is not compensated until Con Edison or NYSERDA pays the cash incentive. Customers can have LCA qualify their CapEx and OpEx projects, without having to outlay any payments. Compare this to hiring engineering design firms that charge fees up front even if the project does not materialize. Con Edison will release the cash incentives once the building completes and commissions the energy efficiency projects.
After Chilled Water Plants, packaged air or water cooled air conditioning systems make up the bulk of the air conditioning inventory in New York City. These systems have a lifespan of around 20 years aside from the annual maintenance and unforeseen repairs. We have a lot of Clients with hundreds of packaged AC units in their buildings. These packaged units are in various stages of their lifespan. ConEdison offers cash incentives to buildings that will upgrade their packaged AC units before the end of their useful life. This program is great in that it pays about 4 times more than the traditional incentive programs. There is a detailed due diligence requirement however. If your building has aging packaged AC units, give us a call at 212.579.4236 and we can see if you qualify.
Links to the ConEd Instant Rebate Page
Converting to LED Lighting Systems has been an accepted energy conservation measure. However ConEdison re-tooled their incentive programs to target their funds more towards HVAC projects. However, there are several LED Lighting programs that exist. The ConEdison DMP program helps offset the cost of lighting controls. Lighting controls are a requirement in the new NYC Building Code. ConEdison has an Instant Rebate Program which discounts the cost of LED Tubes and Screw-ins by about 40%. Our affiliate Green Apple Lighting USA is an authorized ConEdison Instant Rebate vendor by the way….. Green Apple Lighting USA takes the ConEd Incentive right off at the register. There are no pre-inspections and paperwork to fill out either!
At any time in New York City there is a building in the middle of modernizing one or more elevators. Occupants use the elevators to get in and out of the building on a daily basis. It is no wonder that buildings cannot implement a site-wide elevator modernization all at once. As a result, modernizing elevators is a long drawn out process.
Motor/Generators Sets.
The Motor/Generator Set, also known as the MG Set, was the original elevator controller in New York City. MG Sets converted AC power to DC power in order to drive the large DC elevator motors. DC elevator motors were the standard and originated back when Thomas Edison was around. Converting from MG Sets to almost any other modern elevator controller results in energy savings. The MG Sets also had DC motors that required a constant changing of “brushes”. These brushes would wear away and cause black dust to coat the inside of the elevator mechanical rooms.
Regenerative Elevator Drives.
These “Re-Gen” drives are great in that they convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The Re-Gen drive then feeds this electrical energy back into the electric grid. We filed our first cash incentive application with NYSERDA sometime back in 2004 for this type of measure. When we installed the kW meter on the new system we kept getting negative and positive numbers. The strange negative and positive kW profile made us think there was an error with the metering equipment. Interestingly enough the meter was bi-directional and could read negative power, or nega-watts. The Re-Gen drives fed power back into the electrical system each time the elevator controls engaged the braking system. The meter picked up the power feeding back into the grid and showed it as negative numbers as a result.
If your elevator project consists of:
- upgrading motor/generator sets to solid state drives
- converting from DC to AC Motors, or
- installing a destination dispatch system,
there may be a cash incentive program to help offset your elevator modernization costs.
Open up your fan coil enclosure and see if your fan coil unit looks like the one in the picture. The one in the photo was built in 1947 and will probably continue running forever, nevermind that it will not be moving air any time soon. We secured a client about $275,000 to replace their fan coil units with new systems driven by ECM Motors and controls. Major energy savings and improved employee comfort led to increased productivity, and lower energy costs! Check out our blog post on this project.
ConEdison and the rest of our Community relies on chillers. Chiller plants cool our work spaces. Con Edison relies on chillers, particularly the non-electric ones to keep electric demand at bay.
There are a lot of chillers in New York City.
Here is a short list
- steam absorber chillers,
- steam turbine chillers,
- gas fired chiller/heaters,
- and reciprocating/screw/centrifugal electric chillers with or without VFD’s,
- and several other types.
Con Edison has a “Demand Response Enablement” program. Non-Electric Chillers that participate in a Demand Response program may qualify for Cash Incentives. This program helps offset the cost of automating your non-electric chiller. ADR enabled non-electric chillers provide relief to the City’s electric utility grid. LC Associates is also a demand response provider and can provide and end-to-end solution for your ADR project.
Other chiller projects that may qualify include:
chilled water plant controls,
VFD’s on your chillers, pumps and fans,
Real Time Energy Monitoring
and others!
| Project Type | 2019 and Beyond Total Possible Incentive ($/kW) | Project Cost Incentive Limit** |
| Thermal Storage | $2,520/kW | Up to 50% |
| High Efficiency Electric Chiller | $1,620/kW | Up to 50% |
| HVAC/BMS/Controls | $1,620/kW | HVAC up to 50% BMS/Controls up to 70% |
| Lighting Controls | $1,620/kW | Up to 70% |
| Demand Response Enablement – | $1,440/kW | Up to 70% |
| Steam Turbine Chiller, Double Stage Absorption Chiller, Gas Driven Chiller* | $1,440/kW | Up to 50% |
| Steam Turbine Chiller Control Panel for Improved Efficiency* | $720/kW | Up to 70% |
| Single Stage Absorption Chiller* | $720/kW | Up to 50% |
| Battery Storage | $1,620/kW | Up to 50% |
| DR Enablement – Generation | $720/kW | Up to 50% |