Utility Energy Efficiency Programs
Updated: July 2017
Overview
Arizona’s population grew 1.18 percent per year on average from 2008 to 2015, while the consumption of electricity increased an average of 0.20 percent per year over the same period. In 2014, energy expenditures per capita were $3,360, which ranked Arizona 50th among all U.S. states.
The state is served by three primary investor-owned utilities: Arizona Public Service Company (APS), Tucson Electric Power Company (TEP), and UNS Electric. In 2015, APS was the largest electric utility with more than 1.2 million customers in 11 of the 15 counties in the state. TEP served nearly 420,000 customers in southern Arizona. UNS reported more than 92,000 residential and business customers mostly in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties.
In addition, Salt River Project (SRP) is a private, self-governed corporation serving about 1 million customers (2015) in metro Phoenix and nearby areas.
Thirteen electric cooperatives also serve customers in Arizona.
Natural gas is provided by Southwest Gas and UniSource Energy Services. In 2015, these companies provided natural gas service to more than 1.9 million customers.
Over the last several years, Arizona's largest utilities have significantly expanded their energy efficiency program offerings.
Electricity Demand-Side Management by Electric Utility
Natural Gas Demand-Side Management
Electricity Demand-Side Management
Arizona Public Service (APS)
Complete and current descriptions of all APS energy saving programs can be accessed through the APS Energy Efficiency web page.
Residential Energy Saving Rebates and Programs
APS offers a variety of incentives and programs to help their residential customers save energy, including:
- Rebates for the purchase of efficient products and light bulbs,
- Rebates for improving home heating and cooling systems,
- Rebates whole house retrofits for existing homes,
- Incentives for energy-efficient new home construction,
- Rebates for smart thermostats, and
- Online tools to help residential customers manage their energy use and decide which improvements maximize energy savings and improve home comfort.
Energy Efficiency Solutions for Business Program
APS offers a variety of incentives, training, and energy information services to business customers to improve energy efficiency:
- Prescriptive, custom and energy study incentives are available to business customers for both retrofit and new construction projects. Incentive levels for specific qualifying measures vary depending on business size and the technology. APS also provides incentives for the partial reimbursement of feasibility studies, design assistance, commissioning, and retro-commissioning services intended to improve the energy efficiency of a new or existing facility.
- Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program, promoting energy efficiency by providing high quality energy efficiency components to retrofit each multifamily unit and per unit rebates for new construction or major renovation projects.
- APS offers Energy Information Services (EIS) for medium to large business customers. With a meter upgrade, EIS creates a detailed, easy to read load profile of actual energy consumption that can be compared against a backdrop of relevant variables.
- Financing for energy efficiency improvements is available through the National Bank of Arizona.
- Specialized training and tuition financing are available to improve buildings operations and to save energy.
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Tucson Electric Power Company (TEP)
TEP offers a variety of energy efficiency and conservation programs for business and residential customers, including:
- Residential Rebate Programs: Offers rebates on home heating and cooling equipment, Energy Star® rated appliances, home lighting, programmable thermostats, shade trees and whole home retrofits.
- Low-Income Weatherization Program: The TEP Weatherization program's aim is to reduce low-income customers' energy use, reduce their electric and gas bills, and improve comfort.
- Business Rebate Programs: Provides incentives to large commercial customers for the installation of energy-efficiency measures including lighting equipment and controls, HVAC equipment and controls, HVAC system test and repair, motors and motor drives, plug load equipment, and refrigeration. The program also provides customers with the opportunity to propose innovative energy efficiency solutions through custom energy efficiency measures.
- Time-of-Use Rates (TOU) or PowerShift: Available to both business and residential customers, the TOU program offers customers a reduced electric rate for shifting their energy use from peak periods (Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to off-peak hours.
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UNS Electric
Residential Efficiency Programs
Offers rebates on home heating and cooling equipment, Energy Star® rated appliances, home lighting, shade trees, and whole home retrofits.
Commercial Efficiency Programs
Offers commercial electric and commercial gas customers rebates to reduce the cost of more efficient equipment including lighting, refrigeration controls, HVAC, water heaters, furnaces, boilers and commercial kitchen griddles.
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Salt River Project (SRP)
Residential Efficiency Programs
- Appliance Recycling: SRP provides free pickup and a $30 check for recycling extra fridges and freezers. Nearly 95% of the unit's materials are recycled.
- Home Energy Manager: This online tool provides customers with personalized recommendations for saving energy and reducing utility costs.
- PowerWise Homes Program: SRP's PowerWise program provides participating homebuilders significant market exposure; increases consumer awareness of energy-efficient homebuilding techniques, materials, and appliances; and spurs demand for energy-efficient homes.
- Light Emitting Diode (LEDs) Discount: The LED programs offer discounts on energy efficient light bulbs at participating stores in its service area.
Business Efficiency Programs
- Rebates for Lighting, HVAC, motors and refrigeration equipment.
- Rebates for Custom energy efficiency projects.
- Retro-commissioning rebates for existing major mechanical and electrical systems.
- New-construction design assistance.
- Small business lighting audit.
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Trico Electric Cooperative (TEC)
Trico Electric Cooperative sponsors a shade tree program and provides monetary support to the Pima County low-income weatherization program. It also supports two educational programs, a series of conservation workshops, and a school-based program for elementary school students.
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Navopache Electric Cooperative (NEC)
NEC offers Time-of-Use rates to members willing to change their lifestyle by using much of their electricity during off-peak times. Members receive a discounted rate during off-peak hours to encourage them to use their electricity then. A service charge is applied.
NEC also offers discounts on Electric Thermal Storage heaters.
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Sulpher Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC)
SSVEC offers a suite of residential rebate programs through the Touchstone Energy Home Program.
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Natural Gas Demand-Side Management
Southwest Gas
Southwest Gas offers rebates for home weatherization, low-flow shower heads, energy-efficient clothes washers, and installation of solar water heaters. Southwest Gas also offers rebates on a wide range of energy-efficient commercial equipment used by businesses.
Click here for information about Southwest Gas Residential DSM programs
Click here for information about Southwest Gas Business DSM Programs
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