LINCOLN — Lincoln Electric System’s Sustainable Energy Program announces incentives of $1.5 million available for 2023. Since 2009, LES’ Sustainable Energy Program, or SEP, has offered financial incentives for LES residential, commercial and industrial customers to promote energy efficiency, reduce wasted energy and provide customers with options to take a more active role in helping manage electricity demand for the entire service area. Incentive funds are available to customers on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Helping the community invest in energy efficiency is environmentally responsible and cost-effective for the utility and our customer-owners,” said Marc Shkolnick, LES manager of Energy Services. Since the program’s inception, LES customers have accessed more than $30 million in SEP incentives and spent $250 million on energy-efficient equipment and/or services. “In total, energy efficiency projects that received SEP incentives have cumulatively saved more than 1,100 net gigawatt-hours, or the equivalent annual electric use of 110,000 single-family homes,” Shkolnick said.
Residential projects eligible for incentives include:
- High-efficiency heat pumps and air conditioners – Residential customers are eligible for incentive payments when replacing existing cooling systems or installing them in newly built homes. Customers could receive $800 for air source heat pumps and $600 for air conditioners, and up to $1,500 for geothermal, based on the unit’s energy-efficiency rating. Tax credits available*: 30% of cost, up to $2,000, for heat pumps and 30% of cost, up to $600, for air conditioners.
- Whole-house sealing and insulation – Incentives are available up to $1,000. Existing homes with no wall or minimal attic insulation (R-19 or less) can qualify for incentives to upgrade insulation levels to current code standards: $0.80 per square foot wall insulation and $0.50 per square foot attic insulation. Pre- and post-blower door (home air leakage) tests are required for each project. Tax credits available*: 30% of cost, up to $1,200, for insulation.
- Heat pump water heaters – Customers could receive $500 per qualifying heat pump water heater that is 40 gallons or larger. Heaters with a tank size of 40 to 55 gallons must have a UEF (efficiency rating) of at least 2.0. Heaters above 55 gallons must have a UEF of at least 2.2. All units accepted into the program must be listed by ENERGY STAR® and can be installed in an existing or new home or commercial building. The water heater must be installed in an unconditioned or partially conditioned room that provides at least 1,000 cubic feet of surrounding air. Tax credits available*: 30% of cost, up to $2,000, for heat pump water heaters.
Visit LES.com/SEP for complete incentive descriptions and a list of participating LES trade allies who will apply the program’s incentives toward their purchase of eligible equipment or services.
*Visit Energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits for further tax information. LES recommends consulting with a tax professional on qualifying equipment and tax deduction details.