Feed Editor Learn about valuable Utility Rebates and Tax Deductions that can help save on your next lighting project. http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/index.html en-us When it comes to rebates and incentives for energy efficiency projects, it takes careful attention and planning to get the most money possible. Planning a project to get the most money involves optimizing timing, paying attention to bonus programs and negotiating rebates. The whole process is a daunting task for many businesses, but by doing it correctly, you can get a lot more money for your projects. Follow the link to to see how one customer maximized their rebates to achieve an additional $66,100 in rebates. 18 June 2010 10:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun10-1.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun10-1.html The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) allows commercial buildings to claim a tax deduction for upgrading to energy efficiency equipment. While many types of buildings can qualify for EPAct, warehouses and distribution centers have a huge opportunity with EPAct because of their large area and ability to install very efficiency lighting systems. One retailer took advantage of this tax deduction for $66,332 in one of their large distribution centers. Follow the link to see how the EPAct tax deduction reduced the payback period to 1 year. 18 June 2010 10:55:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun10-2.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun10-2.html Rebate programs are wildly popular with businesses trying to reduce the cost of their energy efficiency projects. Often there's a frenzy to get the money when it becomes available. In fact, one program is so popular it just can't seem to keep its funds. This year, a program offered by the State of Virginia offered $6.5 million for energy efficiency projects. Customers could take advantage of the funds starting on March 22nd. Four days later, the program stopped accepting new applications and had a wait list of 3,200 applications! Follow the link to see how you can make sure you're not missing out on programs like this one. 18 June 2010 10:55:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun10-2.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun10-2.html Energy efficiency programs have increased rapidly the past few years, expanding in both funding levels and geography. In 2009, US utilities increased their spending on energy efficiency programs by 43% according to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency. Geographically, rebates for commercial lighting are spreading out to more parts of the US, and are growing more popular in the Southeast and South Central US. Click here to see the projections for rebate funding in the future and to learm how many states currently have rebates for commercial lighting projects. 19 Mar 2010 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Mar10-1.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Mar10-1.html Looking for yet another way to improve payback on your lighting projects? You might be able to take advantage of tax credits being offered by some state agencies. Certain parts of the country have these beneficial tax credits for customers who participate in energy efficient lighting projects. These programs are scattered throughout the US, but can be quite significant. Even better, these credits are ON TOP of any utility rebate or Federal EPAct tax deduction for which you may be eligible. Click here to see how state tax credits can help you. 19 Mar 2010 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Mar10-2.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Mar10-2.html 2009 has been an incredibly good year for businesses looking to take advantage of valuable rebates for upgrading their lighting systems. Even in light of a struggling economy, utilities and governments across the country continued to invest money into conservation programs. At the beginning of the year, organizations in 36 states had a rebate program available for energy efficiency programs. Over the course of the year, another 10 states have enacted programs. Now, rebates for energy efficient lighting in non-residential applications cover over 60% of the zip codes in the US. 10 Dec 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Dec09-1.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Dec09-1.html Are you still using T12 fixtures in your facilities? They are all too common in commercial lighting applications in the US. In fact, according to NEMA, 115 million 4' T12 lamps were still sold in the US last year. These systems are very inefficient; needlessly forcing customers to waste money on their utility bills. In an effort to lower the energy demand in the US, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires manufacturers stop producing magnetic ballasts for most T12 fixtures after June 30, 2010. While these dates might seem far off, you should look to upgrade dated facilities now in order to take advantage of sizeable rebates. 10 Dec 2009 15:55:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Dec09-2.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Dec09-2.html Were you involved in a large lighting project in 2009? If so, that project may still qualify for a significant tax deduction thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Any lighting upgrade job that was completed in the last year potentially qualifies for the deduction. Because the EPAct certification does not need to happen at installation, any project put into service in 2009 can still qualify for the deduction. 10 Dec 2009 15:54:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Dec09-3.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Dec09-3.html Thanks in part to the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, more and more areas of the country have rebates available for commercial lighting upgrades. These programs customers with incentives to upgrade inefficient lighting systems which significantly reduces the initial cost. Organizations in 42 of the states now offer rebate programs for commercial lighting. 17 Sep 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept09-1.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept09-1.html With long life and high energy efficiency, LED is the new buzzword when customers are looking to upgrade to efficient lighting. While not a viable option in the past, the efficiency and cost of LED fixtures are now reaching more acceptable levels for some customers. From wall washers to accent lighting in stores and restaurants, LEDs are making their way into mainstream applications. Utilities and government agencies have noticed this trend and they are starting to provide rebates for LED products. 17 Sep 2009 15:57:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept09-2.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept09-2.html Many utilities create energy efficiency programs to help reduce electrical demand on the grid and to meet goals set by local, state, and federal governments. To meet these goals, organizations sometimes offer bonus programs to increase participation. By increasing the rebate amounts on certain products for a limited time, they're hoping to increase utilization of their programs and decrease energy usage. 17 Sep 2009 15:59:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept09-3.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Sept09-3.html 2009 has proven to be an excellent year for lighting rebate programs. In the past month, organizations in both North Carolina and Maryland have added rebate programs for Commercial Lighting. With the addition of these programs, organizations in 38 of states now offer lighting rebates to commercial end users. 04 Jun 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun09-1.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jun09-1.html In light of the soft economy, many people wonder if the incentive programs that we've seen over the past few years will continue. Since funding varies per region and organization, it's hard to give an all-encompassing answer, but all indications point out that the programs will continue, if not increase. Click here to learn more. 17 Apr 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Apr09-1.html Earlier this year, the Department of Energy announced that ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 is the new national reference code. That means all states must certify that their commercial building codes are at least as stringent as 90.1-2004. How does this help you? If built to ASHRAE 90.1-2004, certain facilities may be good candidates for an EPAct tax deduction. Click here for the list 17 Apr 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Apr09-2.html http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Apr09-2.html Did you ever wonder how many people are actually taking advantage of energy efficiency programs? Even with a very low energy rate of about $0.05 per kWh, the state of Idaho provides a great example of how many people are using these programs. In fact, one utility in the state reported that in the first 10 weeks of 2009, they have already received 200 preliminary applications. Click here to learn more. 17 Apr 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Apr09-3.html Were you involved in a large lighting project in 2008? If so, that project may still qualify for a significant tax deduction thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Any lighting upgrade job that was completed in the last year potentially qualifies for the deduction. Because the EPAct certification does not need to happen at installation, any project put into service in 2008 can still qualify for the deduction. Click here to learn more. 16 Jan 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jan09-1.html 2008 was a great year for energy efficiency programs. Utilities from across the nation are reporting the success of their energy efficiency efforts last year. Efficiency programs have saved nearly 50 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere. With almost $2 billion in rebates available, you're missing out if you aren't taking advantage of these programs. Click here to learn more. 16 Jan 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jan09-2.html End users aren't the only ones who can benefit from EPAct tax deductions. When lighting jobs are done in government buildings, the IRS allows the party responsible for specifying or designing the efficient lighting system to claim the deduction. Click here to learn more. 16 Jan 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jan09-4.html Massachusetts is one of the states in the country where rebates really thrive. In fact, 88% of the state is covered by incentives that apply to commercial lighting. Most rebates in Massachusetts are very attractive for customers looking to upgrade to energy efficient lighting solutions. Click here to learn more. 16 Jan 2009 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Jan09-3.html Are you taking full advantage of the lucrative rebate programs out there? Buildings in thousands of zip codes across the US are eligible for lighting efficiency rebates from state organizations and local utilities. These programs often help reduce the initial cost of upgrading lighting systems by providing incentives to customers. These incentives can range anywhere from $.50 per lamp to $450 per fixture! Click here to learn more. 3 Nov 2008 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Nov08-1.html Is the location that you're working on eligible for lighting rebates? That's a frequently asked question that is not answered very often. While there are numerous resources available out there that list rebates, it's still hard to identify what specific rebates are available for a location and how to take advantage of them. BriteSwitch's new and proprietary database can identify virtually all lighting rebates available in the US. It's one of the only databases in existence with the power to find lighting rebates for customers quickly and easily. Click here to learn more. 15 Oct 2008 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Nov08-2.html When people think of states with lighting rebates, the first states that usually come to mind are states that are always in the media for energy efficiency, like California and Massachusetts, but there are many other states where significant rebates are available. In each edition of BriteSwitch's News, we'll focus on a state and learn about rebate opportunities in that area. This edition, we'll look at Minnesota, one of the states at the forefront of lighting rebates. Follow the link to learn how one customer could save over $35,000 in Minnesota. Click here to learn more. 15 Oct 2008 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Nov08-3.html On October 3, 2008 the federal tax incentives for making a commercial building more efficient were extended as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. That means the Energy Policy Act of 2005, (EPAct 2005) has been extended for another five years to December 31, 2013. Click here to learn more. 15 Oct 2008 15:56:09 GMT http://www.briteswitch.com/newsletter/Nov08-4.html