Get paid to help your customers save
Add value to your energy services with incentives for energy-saving projects
About
Business Energy Upgrade pays incentives for projects based on actual energy savings achieved, supporting energy efficiency upgrades and operational improvements that reduce energy use and lower energy costs. Energy service providers guide business owners through enrollment, identify eligible upgrades and assist with submitting required information to take projects from idea to installation to savings.
What You Get
- We offer flexible energy project options to business owners who are ready to take action and save today. Instead of getting a rebate for buying a more efficient piece of equipment, you earn incentives based on how much energy use decreases after making improvements to a building.
- Incentives tied to real-world energy savings
- Flexibility to choose upgrades that make the most sense for a building
- Rewards for operational improvements and building optimization, not just equipment replacements
- Assistance with ongoing energy management to maximize savings
How It Works
Submit an interest form.
Sign a participation agreement and complete training.
Submit W-9, certificate of insurance, logo and contact information.
Start submitting energy-saving projects to earn incentives.
Identify Opportunities
We review your building’s historical energy use to recommend upgrades.
Choose Upgrades
You choose energy improvements, such as HVAC upgrades, controls, lighting or operational changes, that lead to at least 10% annual energy savings.
Measure Savings
We track your actual energy use and calculate energy savings over one year.
Get Paid
Incentives are paid based on the verified energy savings achieved.
Who It's For
Are you a contractor, installer, energy consultant or other energy services professional? We pay incentives based on actual energy savings. Connect with us if you own, operate or serve:
Small or medium-sized commercial businesses
- Located in San Diego County
- Owner-occupied or tenant-operated
- That have not made any property improvements or retrofits in at least one year
- Whose annual energy usage is <300,000 kWh or <20,000 therms (Unsure about your energy use? We help you figure this out.)
Large businesses or facilities
- Located in San Diego County at an eligible address*
- Including Tribal properties such as community centers, recreational facilities and casinos
- Whose annual energy usage is >300,000 kWh or >20,000 therms (Unsure about your energy us? We help you figure this out.)
*Please note: If your property is not located at an eligible address, it may still qualify if your business has less than 25 employees, operates from leased or rented space and the business/organization decision-maker’s primary spoken language is not English.
How to Get Started
Ready to earn incentives for energy-saving projects? Complete an interest form and we’ll be in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my public agency eligible to participate?
We serve public agencies located in San Diego County.
How much does it cost?
All services are provided at no cost. Agencies are responsible only for construction costs if not fully covered by direct install incentives. We work with you to explore your options and cost before projects begin.
How do I get started?
Join our interest list and a program representative will contact you for a one-on-one introductory conversation.
What types of projects can my agency complete?
Program engineers conduct comprehensive audits to identify energy efficiency and electrification upgrades. If your agency is interested in assessing demand-side management strategies, such as demand response, on-site generation or battery storage, our engineers can analyze these opportunities as well. We work with you to identify which projects may be most beneficial to your agency.
What types of educational activities are available?
We offer virtual and in-person opportunities, including webinars, training, working group meetings and networking events. Stay informed through our newsletter and your dedicated project manager once your agency is enrolled.
What kinds of funding and financing assistance do you offer?
We help you identify and apply for program incentives and other funding and financing opportunities for your project. Our team stays updated on available funding and financing resources that can be stacked with our incentives to reduce out-of-pocket costs and maximize your project’s financial outlook. We handle any preinstallation and final paperwork, including submission, needed to receive any such incentive or financing.
What is the direct install offering?
Our direct install pathway provides turnkey support for installing your choice of a preselected menu of energy efficiency upgrades. When you’re ready to move forward, your project manager helps you complete the project application and schedule installation. Once the project is complete, incentives are paid directly to the contractor, covering up to 100% of gross project costs for facilities located in historically underserved communities.
What types of projects are eligible for the direct install offering?
Our direct install pathway is available for a preselected menu of energy efficiency upgrades, including:
- Heat Pump Water Heaters
- Replace a natural gas storage tank water heater or tankless water heater with a storage heat pump water heater.
- Variable Speed Drive (VSD) for HVAC Fan Controls
- Install a variable speed drive VSD on an existing constant-speed fan within a built-up variable air volume (VAV) HVAC system. The VSD allows the fan speed to self-adjust in response to the actual load being served, reducing consumption during periods of partial load.
- HVAC Occupancy Sensor for Classrooms
- Replace an existing thermostat with an occupancy-sensing thermostat for a packaged HVAC unit serving a classroom. Occupancy sensors reduce energy consumption by automatically shifting the system to unoccupied temperatures when no presence is detected in the HVAC zone.
- Economizer Controls
- Optimize an existing economizer by adjusting the changeover set point. By letting the system use cool outdoor air for cooling at a slightly warmer temperature before turning on mechanical cooling, the building uses less energy.
- Economizer Repair
- Restore the functionality of an existing economizer through repairs. Energy savings are achieved by restoring economizer functionality, thus allowing the HVAC unit to utilize cool outside air prior to mechanical cooling below the high limit set point, as well as reducing unnecessary conditioning of outside air above the high limit set point.
- Supply Fan Controls
- Program an existing thermostat to reduce the supply fan’s runtime during unoccupied periods. Energy savings are achieved because the unoccupied supply fan runtime is reduced unless zone conditions call for cooling or heating.
- UL Type B LED Mogul Base Lamp HID Retrofits for Outdoor Area/Pole and Decorative Fixtures
- Retrofit mogul-based screw-in lamps with equivalent DLC-listed UL type B LED mogul-based screw-in lamps. Interior lighting is not eligible.
- Hot Water Pipe Insulation
- Add insulation to pipes and pipe fittings that transport hot liquid. Insulation reduces heat loss, thereby reducing the water heater or steam boiler’s energy load.
- VFDs for Unitary HVAC Systems
- Add a variable-frequency drive (VFD) to an existing packaged single-zone direct-expansion (DX) HVAC unit with an outdoor air economizer to provide cooling when conditions permit. Typically, VFDs in packaged units are programmed to operate at distinct speeds based on the unit’s various operating modes. Energy savings occur when the VFD reduces fan speeds during the lower cooling, heating or ventilation modes.
