Con Ed funding for LED Retro-fits continues at very high levels, but be warned that the funding landscape is shifting as Con Ed reassesses its priorities. Effective July 1st, there are new guidelines and formulas for rebate calculations. Because LED lighting uses only a fraction of the electric required for traditional lighting, LED paybacks can stand on their own, with or without funding. With funding still available, now is the time to get going on your own LED Retro-fit. But where to start ?
Product and Funding. The name of the game is to identify the best LED product for your project that will qualify for the highest levels of funding. Con Ed has made a big commitment to promote energy reduction by providing not only the funding, but offers assistance in navigating the process. The smart move for your Retro-fit project is to work with Con Ed. Unless you have extensive experience with LED product along with energy modeling and the ever changing world of funding, it is unrealistic to expect that anyone not working full time in this arena could develop a LED Retro-fit plan that would match the best LED product with the maximum available funding. LED product selected for your Retro-fit must be Energy Star to qualify for funding. The fact that the latest LED Energy Star product is generally not available at retail levels is only one of the roadblocks for a "do it yourself" approach. Energy Star designations are awarded to new product and withdrawn from older product on a continuing basis. LED Energy Star product can lose their designation when a new version of the same product is introduced.
To accept Con Ed's offer of funding and navigation, call the Con Ed Green Team and ask to be connected with a Con Ed marketing partner. Because Con Ed has over 800 marketing partners who specialize in a wide range of energy related disciplines, you need to be specific with your request. You need to be connected with a marketing partner that not only specializes in LED retro-fits, but who actively participates in the "Con Ed Demand Manage Program" and is authorized by Con Ed to "Aggregate" LED projects. There are only a limited number of these "aggregate" partners. It is important that you work with one of them in order to maximize the funding for your LED Success Story.
George Crawford is the principal of Green Partners, New York, N.Y. Tags: