For Immediate Release: 9/23/2024 2:13 pm
WORCESTER, Mass. – The City of Worcester, through its Smart Energy Advice program, is partnering with Eversource to conduct the Main Streets energy efficiency initiative to help local small businesses, nonprofits and houses of worship reduce their energy costs and impact on the environment by offering enhanced incentives.
Through Main Streets, local energy providers partner with communities to connect small business owners with approved contractors who offer no-cost energy assessments to discuss upgrades that lower energy use and reduce costs.
From Sept. 23 through Oct. 4, energy experts from Complete Energy Services (CES) will be in the community, meeting with business owners, conducting assessments, and providing more information about the incentives, programs, and services available to them.
“We’re excited to bring back the Main Streets initiative, which helps local small businesses reduce energy costs, enhance the comfort and health of both customers and employees, and reduce environmental impact,” said Chief Sustainability Officer John Odell. “This program is a key part of achieving the energy goals outlined in the Green Worcester Plan, and we encourage local business owners to participate and explore the potential savings and benefits for their businesses.”
The Main Streets energy efficiency program starts with a no-cost, no-obligation energy assessment to identify energy-saving opportunities for small businesses, such as weatherization, insulation, occupancy sensors, programmable thermostats, refrigeration controls, lighting controls, and more.
Local Worcester businesses have already benefited from the Main Streets initiative, with some achieving up to 60% savings on their annual gas bills after completing energy-efficient upgrades.
Some improvements, like installing aerators and spray valves, happen on the spot at no cost to the customer. More involved projects, like the installation of energy-efficient motor controls, are scheduled for a future date. Eversource offers increased incentives for a range of energy efficiency improvements to further offset the cost of upgrades, and interest-free financing is available for any remaining costs.
“Since Eversource first launched Main Streets nearly a decade ago, it has evolved from a few events per year into an equity-driven statewide initiative that serves, on average, more than 1,000 commercial customers annually,” said Eversource Vice President for Energy Efficiency and Electric Mobility Tilak Subrahmanian. “Main Streets provides opportunities for small and micro businesses to improve their energy efficiency and gain a competitive edge by lowering their energy costs or demonstrating a reduced carbon footprint. In 2024, we continue to prioritize outreach in Environmental Justice Communities, which often face an undue energy burden. It is essential for us to connect with those customers who would most benefit from energy efficiency measures, while supporting Massachusetts in reaching its ambitious decarbonization goals.”
For more information about the program and to schedule a no-cost assessment at a convenient time, businesses should visit eversource.com/mainstreets. Businesses can also contact CES directly by calling 833-237-2677 ext. 199 or by mainstreets@cescorp.com. For more information about Worcester’s Smart Energy Advice program, contact energyadvice@worcesterma.gov or visit https://www.worcesterma.gov/energyadvice/smart-energy-advice.
