Eligibility
Public facilities must be Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers on the A1/A6, A10 and E19V rate schedule (rate schedule can be found on the utility bill).
Energy Audits
San Mateo County Energy Watch will perform a no-cost, no-obligation energy survey to determine where your facilities have opportunities to achieve energy and cost savings.
Direct Installation of Measures
SMC Energy Watch can install some energy efficiency measures free of charge or at highly discounted co-payment levels. Examples of equipment available include:
- Efficiency and Improved Lighting
- Occupancy and Daylight Sensors
- LED Exit Signs
- Refrigerator Strip Curtains
- Cold Drink Vending Machine Sensors
Other Energy Efficiency Retrofits
Rebates are available for retrofit projects which reduce energy use in municipal facilities. SMC Energy Watch staff can help your agency obtain the maximum available incentive for your projects and manage applications with PG&E to ensure the criteria for receiving an incentive are met. Please contact our office for guidance with any energy savings projects that may be implemented in your agency. Examples include:
- Boiler or Chiller Replacement
- Computer Power Management
- HVAC Controls
Special Rebates and Incentives
SMC Energy Watch has reduced fixed pricing on equipment and contracted labor, so our rebates and incentives will likely be more attractive than those offered by other programs. Depending on the equipment you choose, some lighting, refrigeration and vending projects may be rebated from 30% to 100%.
In addition, contact SMC Energy Watch for more information about the following funding options:
On-bill financing. PG&E finances the capital expenditure, and the building owner repays PG&E through a line item on the utility bill. Amount available per meter: $5,000 to $250,000. The loan must be repaid within 10 years. The interest rate is 0%, and there is no transaction fee. This funding can't be used for PV installations or demand response projects.
CEC low-interest loans. The CEC offers 3% interest loans that must be paid back within a maximum timeframe (~15 years). This funding is good for small and medium-sized cost-effective projects.
Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECBs). These low-interest bonds are available to large local governments for qualified projects including projects that save energy. This funding is best used for large, expensive projects. It has a low-interest rate and does not require upfront capital.
Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants (EECBG). These ARRA-sponsored grants are available to local governments to implement energy saving programs. This funding could be used for planning and implementing programs that may not result directly in cost savings. There is no minimum efficiency or payback period requirement.
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The PPA provider finances the installation of energy efficiency and renewable energy systems and the building owner purchases electricity from the PPA provider at a fixed price for a negotiated length of time. This is best used if an agency has multiple renewable projects and/or projects that can bundle a large energy efficiency portfolio with PV installations.
Revolving loans. Cities develop a fund that can be used to finance energy projects at municipal facilities. The fund is replenished through savings on energy bills. This funding could be used for small- and medium-sized projects that have long payback periods or would otherwise not be attractive to outside financing programs.
Energy Service Company (ESCO) financing. ESCOs offer financing services in which they pay the capital cost of an efficiency upgrade and the city then pays the ESCO a fixed rate for energy for a negotiated period of time. This funding could be used for financing a large number of energy efficiency projects when no other source of capital is available. These tend to be more difficult contractual arrangements. Similar to the PV PPA projects, ESCOs require access to equipment in order to ensure maintenance and operations are optimized to maximize ESCO's profits.