A message from Energy Conservation Works:
JACKSON, Wyo. — If solar has been on your business’s “someday” list, now is the time to seriously consider taking action and Energy Conservations Works (ECW) is here to help. Right now, solar for your business is eligible for a 30–40% discount on the total project cost, but that’s going to change in July.
Energy costs have been rising, and we can expect to see rate changes that affect businesses more directly in the future. As electricity gets more expensive, installing solar, considering battery storage, and investing in other efficiency measures are great ways to keep your energy costs predictable.
Here’s a quick overview of the July 4 solar tax credit deadline and the practical ways ECW can help you take advantage of incentives, use rebates, and lower your energy costs — all while showing customers you’re serious about sustainability.
The most important step is simply to start the process early. Even if you’re not ready to sign anything tomorrow, getting a conversation going with a contractor now will help you understand:
- What your site can support (roof, ground, parking canopy, electrical service)
- Rough system size and payback
- Whether battery storage makes sense
ECW can connect you with installers, scope questions, and make sure you understand the opportunity in plain language.
Nonprofits could be eligible, too
Nonprofits or other tax-exempt organization can often access the same value through a direct-payment option (sometimes described as a rebate-style payment), which can make solar pencil out even without tax liability.
Solar is powerful — but efficiency is usually the fastest payback
For a lot of businesses, the smartest move is efficiency first, or efficiency alongside solar. The simplest example is LED lighting. If you’re still running older lighting, we routinely see upgrades that cut lighting energy use dramatically, improve light quality for staff and customers, and pay back quickly — often with strong LVE rebates.
Lower Valley Energy has commercial rebates that can take a big bite out of the cost of lighting and other upgrades. ECW can help you identify what’s worth doing and navigate the rebate process.
Financing: ECW’s commercial loan program is being refreshed
Upfront cost is often the thing that stops good projects. ECW’s commercial loan program is being updated in the next few months to make it easier and more accessible — so businesses can move forward with efficiency upgrades (and other cost-saving projects) without needing a big cash outlay on day one.
If you’ve been interested in upgrades but didn’t want to tie up capital, this is exactly the kind of tool we’re working to improve.
Make the change
Many customers want to support businesses that reflect their values. The good news is that “doing the right thing” and “lowering your costs” can point in the same direction here. Efficiency, solar and storage are tangible actions that reduce emissions — and they also help protect your business from rising and more complicated energy costs.
Whether you’re considering solar or you want to start with efficiency and rebates, reach out to Energy Conservation Works today. We can help you understand the July 4 deadline, connect you to contractors, identify fast-payback upgrades and navigate rebates and financing options — so you can keep costs down and move ahead with confidence.
