Small Business Direct Install

Small Business Direct Install

WHAT WE OFFER

Eligible small businesses using less than 110 kW per month can receive free energy assessments, and up to 60% of the cost of recommended equipment upgrades will be covered through our Small Business Direct Install Program. Call 877.359.9814 to schedule an appointment.
 

Equipment upgrades could include:

  • Replacing fluorescent fixtures with high efficiency lamps and ballasts
  • Changing incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
  • Upgrading exit signs to LED signs
  • Installing occupancy sensors or dimmer switches
  • LED canopy lighting
  • Commercial refrigeration upgrades
  • LED parking lot lights to replace both pole-top and wall-mounted metal halide lighting
  • HID fixture replacements 

BENEFITS

  • Lower energy bills
  • Enhanced quality of lighting and appearance of your business
  • Improved lighting equipment longevity
  • The opportunity to show your customers that you have made environmentally-conscious energy improvements 

HOW TO ENROLL

  1. Call 877.359.9814 to schedule an appointment. Our representatives can check to be sure that you meet the program qualifications.
  2. Willdan, our approved program administrator, will perform an energy assessment and will immediately provide you with an energy report for your business.
  3. Along with reviewing the energy report, a Willdan representative will also provide a brief program overview and together you can review any benefits of installing energy efficient equipment.
  4. If you choose to move forward, we will schedule a convenient time for an upgrade to take place. 

LEARN MORE

To learn more about our Small Business Direct Install Program, call Willdan at 877.359.9814, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • We have gathered some frequently asked questions below.  

The Small Business Direct Install Program is in accordance with a November 2009 New York State Public Service Commission order approving commercial and industrial efficiency programs for utilities across the state.


EASY ENERGY SAVINGS

Energy Efficient Lighting

Replace old or inefficient lighting with energy efficient lighting and bulbs to provide your business with improved lighting quality, better color and longer lamp life.

Programmable Thermostats

Better manage on and off cycles, temperature settings and improve comfort.

Maintain HVAC Systems

Regular maintenance can help you avoid costly repairs, help reduce energy usage and save you money.

Lights Out

Leave lights off in storage and closet areas when not in use, install occupancy sensors for indoor lighting areas and install timers and photocells for outdoor lighting areas.

Turn it Off

Shut off copiers and computers when not in use.

Insulate

Insulate attic spaces and make sure your entire business is properly sealed.

Get Set

Lower settings on water heaters and be sure they are properly insulated.

Asset Publisher

No. The lamps that the installers will remove from your site will no longer be compatible with your new equipment and must be removed. In addition, since the program’s intent is to save electricity and reduce costs, removal of inefficient equipment from future use is necessary to the program’s success.

Willdan warranties all installations to be free from workmanship errors for one year after the measures have been installed. If a failure occurs for any reason during this period, they will come back to your site and service the malfunctioning fixtures at no cost. If a malfunction occurs after one year has elapsed, all products installed have manufacturer warranties and this information is provided to customers upon completion of the installation.

Qualifying RG&E small business customers are eligible to receive a free energy assessment of their business that will identify the greatest opportunities for energy savings. Upon completion of the energy assessment, customers will receive a report detailing opportunities for energy efficiency improvements. The energy assessment will focus primarily on lighting improvements, specifically energy conservation measures with the greatest savings opportunities at the lowest cost. Refrigeration measures have been added for customers with walk-in coolers in their businesses.

The proposed equipment upgrades will qualify for subsidized installation - RG&E (whichever utility provides the customer’s electricity service) will cover up to 60% of the installation costs, with the customer responsible for the remaining 40%. Financing options may be available to qualified customers.

Participation in this program provides customers with economic benefits and environmental benefits for the local community.

This program is open to small business customers with NYSEG or RG&E electricity service that have electricity demand of less than an average of 110 kilowatts (kW) per month.

Interested businesses can enroll by contacting a program representative at 877.359.9814. Once enrolled to participate, an energy service representative will contact you within a few weeks to schedule your free energy assessment.

The Small Business Direct Install Program is being administered by Willdan, an implementation contractor hired by RG&E. Willdan's Energy Service Representatives (ESRs) have badges identifying them as RG&E contractors.

The installation of lighting upgrades typically takes less than one day, but may vary based on the size of the location and the number of fixtures or type of equipment being upgraded. Installers will contact each customer to schedule a convenient time for installation. It is important that customers allow the installers adequate access to all areas of the site or they will not be able to complete their work. While our installers will take the greatest care to ensure that customers are not inconvenienced by the installation, some areas may be temporarily unavailable during the time of installation. Communication with the installation crew is paramount to ensuring minimal disruptions.

Energy efficient lamps used in the program, such as T8 linear fluorescent lamps, LED lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), can be found at most hardware stores and electrical supply stores. Although some of these lamps may cost more, they have a significantly longer life, and the savings over the life of each lamp justify the increased cost of replacement.

Customers are responsible for a 40% co-payment of all installed measures. The energy services representative who performs your free energy assessment will charge your credit card upon acceptance of the work to be performed. At this time, a 50% deposit of the 30% co-pay amount will be charged to the card and the remaining portion will be charged upon completion of the installation and customer acceptance. Financing options are also available to qualified customers.

Eligible RG&E customers include:

  • All RG&E Service Class 2 general service-small use customers; 
  • RG&E Service Class 7 general service customers (some customers in this class have electricity demand of more than an average of 110 kW per month and will not qualify);
  • RG&E Service Class 9 general service time-of-use customers (some customers in this class have electricity demand of more than an average of 110 kW per month and will not qualify). 

If you are unsure of your service rate, please look above the table on page three of your bill. The service class is indicated in the electricity service line and can be found by looking for a number preceding the letters “SC.” For example, if your bill reads “Electricity Service - PSC19 SC2 - Commercial” you are in Service Class 2. (If you are in Service Class 7 or 9 you will also need to check that your electricity demand does not exceed an average of 110 kW per month.)

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