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NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Utilities Commission of New Smyrna Beach has introduced new electric rebates for small commercial customers.
The rebates now available for these customers include added insulation, duct leak repair and solar screen installation. This is in addition to the LED EXIT sign rebates that are currently available for all commercial customers. These rebates have been available for residential accounts for four years, but this represents the first time the utility has offered them to its 2,000 small commercial accounts, which represent 8% of the utility's electric customers.
“This is our opportunity to assist our small business customers to invest in energy-saving improvements to their properties that will save them money on their electric bill,” Ellen Fisher, public information manager told NSBNews.net on Tuesday.
Small commercial customers, also known as non-demand accounts, are non-residential customers with an annual measured peak demand of less than 50 kW. New this year, the utilities commission has included a rebate for the installation of window solar screens. The rebate is a credit of $2 per square foot of eligible windows (those facing west, south and east), up to $375, on the customer’s utility account.
The utilities commission decided to include a rebate for window solar screens this year because of its relatively low cost and numerous benefits, Fisher said, adding, “Our energy auditor, Stan DiBello, has been recommending solar screens for years. It only makes sense to include them in our rebate program.”
Solar screens can block up to 90 percent of the sun's heat coming through windows; they absorb and disperse the sun's heat and glare before it even reaches the window.
The utility commission's window solar screen rebate is in addition to two other electric rebates for added insulation and duct leak repair, and the existing commercial rebate for the installation of LED EXIT signs. All rebate forms and regulations are available online at www.ucnsb.org.
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