The Sustainable Energy Fund and PPL Electric Utilities are co-sponsoring the Small Business Lighting Retrofit Rebate Program, a new financial rebate program to help small business owners ease the expense of implementing energy-efficiency measures in their shops or stores.

The deadline for submitting applications is August 29.

If a company or business has less than 100 employees, has operated at the same location as a PPL Electric Utilities customer for at least three years, and has a good-standing credit history with PPL Electric Utilities, it may be eligible to apply to SEF for this lighting rebate program.

Lighting retrofits are one of the best ways a business can realize energy savings for the future. Lighting upgrades generate solid kWh savings, have straight-forward calculations, and cost less than larger energy efficiency measures. Qualified project applicants must use Energy Star qualified products.

“SEF is pleased to partner with PPL Electric Utilities to offer a rebate for businesses that want to upgrade their lighting systems,” says Jennifer Hopkins, president of SEF. “This rebate will help offset the immediate expense while the energy savings will benefit the company into the future.”

Only one rebate is available per business entity name for a project that will cost at least $5,000. For eligible projects which cost between $5,000 and $10,000, at the completion of the project, a business owner will receive a rebate based on 20 percent of the project’s total cost.

In this rebate program there is a cap of $2,000 per business. A Small Business Lighting Retrofit Application must be filled out and submitted to SEF to confirm eligibility.

After the work is completed SEF requires business owners to submit documentation of the scope of work, proof of purchase of all installed energy efficient products, and a copy of the electrical certification report. The rebate will be paid after you submit documentation to SEF that all program requirements have been met.

An electrical energy audit will be conducted on a random sampling of completed projects. This will not be at the expense of any business owner.

For more information and an application, visit the Small Business Lighting Retrofit Rebate Program webpage, send email to jmarakovits@thesef.org or call 610- 264-4440 ext. 15 with questions.

7/18/2008