Business energy-saving incentives
Get funding for energy-efficient equipment upgrades
By focusing on what uses the most energy in your business, you can make energy-efficient upgrades for the greatest impact on savings.
The offer
Business customers can upgrade any of the equipment listed below with eligible, energy-efficient models and we'll provide funding to cover up to 25% of the upfront costs.
Incentives are available for:
- Lighting
- Add-on upgrades for refrigeration
- Add-on upgrades for mechanical technologies such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
Program benefits
Not only do these incentives shorten the payback period of your upfront investment, they make the decision to upgrade easy. Our incentives could help you save over an average of $2,400 per year on your bill depending on your energy usage and efficiency upgrades.
Take advantage of the incentives to reduce your business' energy consumption, save on energy costs, and increase your bottom line.
How it works
1. Contact a contractor
If you're interested in upgrading the lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration or mechanical technologies for your business it's time to connect with a contractor. You can request a referral for a member of the Alliance of Energy Professionals, which is a network of energy efficiency trade professionals registered with BC Hydro.
If you're already working with a contractor, you'll need to make sure that they're a registered Alliance member to qualify for the incentives. Ask your contractor to confirm and request their contractor ID or reach out to our Alliance team to check.
An Alliance member:
- Helps with your application.
- Identifies more opportunities to save energy.
- Selects and installs energy-efficient products.
- Looks for other BC Hydro incentive opportunities.
2. Decide which technology to upgrade
Once you've connected with your Alliance member contractor, they will help you decide which upgrades are the best fit for your business with available incentives.
Energy-saving incentives are only available for simple, one-for-one replacements and add-ons. For example, you can replace 300 four-foot fluorescent lamp fixtures with LED four-foot luminaires (fixtures) or retrofit kits.
You can browse from a list of incentive-eligible configurations and products in our e.Catalog.
3. Apply online through CEM Hub
Before starting your project, you'll need to register for our Conservation and Energy Management (CEM) Hub to receive pre-approval for your project and submit the incentive application.
After you've registered on CEM Hub, you'll log in to generate a PIN for your Alliance member contractor so they can fill out the incentive application and submit it on your behalf.
You also have the option to start the application process yourself by entering your contractor's ID. Your contractor will then fill out the technical portions of the application and project details, and you will submit the final application.
Once we have the project details and costs, we'll estimate your incentive.
4. Project completion
After your project is complete, you'll submit your final documentation in CEM Hub. After we've reviewed and approved it, we'll process your incentive cheque.
CEM Hub also has tools that help you strategically manage your energy usage and reduce your operating costs such as:
- Viewing your consumption trend history.
- Understanding your energy use intensity.
- Digging deeper with advanced energy consumption analytics.
For help with CEM Hub, see the CEM Hub user guide [docx, 444 KB].
Support and FAQs
Need help?
Contact the business help desk. They can assess where you're at and help with next steps.
FAQs
Do I need to register every time I start a new application?
You only need to register once to generate your login information. Once you log in, you can create multiple applications. You can also add multiple sites to one application.
Why can't I find the configuration that I'd like to retrofit?
Energy-saving incentives are only available for simple, one-for-one replacements. For example, you can replace 500 incandescent lightbulbs with 500 screw-in LEDs; however, the program isn't designed to accommodate complex redesign projects. Eligible configurations and products are listed on the e.Catalog.
Can I make changes to my application?
After you submit an application for approval, some project details can't be changed. However, you can make changes to product quantities and project cost when you complete the declaration. If a completely different retrofit configuration is required, let us know immediately, before work begins. Any changes will recalculate your incentive.
Why did my incentive amount change?
If you made any changes to your scope of work or the inspector made changes based on their assessment, your incentive will be recalculated to reflect the changes.
In order for BC Hydro to verify the electricity savings from our incentive programs, projects may be randomly selected for a site inspection before the application is approved and/or after the project is complete.
Who is 'It's On Electric'?
It's On Electric has been selected as the contractor of choice to conduct inspections. Their employees follow our core values and protocol, and can be identified by their uniform and BC Hydro contractor photo ID.
How long do I have to wait for an inspection?
If your application has been selected for a pre-site inspection, It's On Electric will contact you to arrange a visit within a couple business days.
If the application has been selected for a post-site inspection, It's On Electric will contact you to schedule an inspection after we've received and reviewed your invoice.
How do I prepare for the site inspection?
It's On Electric will inspect the site based on the details you submit, so it's important that the application is as accurate as possible at each stage. We also strongly suggest that someone familiar with the project (you, or your Alliance distributor/contractor) is available to guide the inspector through the site.
Related programs
Business energy advisors
If you own or manage a small or medium business, a regional Business Energy Advisor can help you learn how to reduce your energy consumption and save you money.
Take the free online Strategic Energy Management Assessment
The SEM Assessment [XLSM, 261 KB] is a tool that takes you through a series of questions and your organization with a unique roadmap to implement a holistic approach to energy management.
Track your energy use
Having a benchmark is key to improvement. Knowing your monthly energy use will allow you to identify areas you may be able to save. Log in to MyHydro regularly to track your usage and compare things like weekday vs. weekend, operating vs. non-operating hours, and this year vs. last year. Get tips for tracking your energy use.