South Carolina

In 2007 South Carolina enacted the Energy Freedom and Rural Development Act (S.B. 243), which amended previous legislation concerning a landfill methane tax credit. The original legislation, enacted in 2006, allows a 25% corporate tax credit for costs incurred by a taxpayer for the use of landfill methane gas to provide power for a manufacturing facility. The 2007 amendments provide that, for taxable years beginning after 2007, taxpayers are allowed a credit against the income tax and/or license fees for 25% of the costs incurred by the taxpayer for the purchase and installation of equipment used to create heat, power, steam, electricity or another form of energy for commercial use from a fuel consisting of at least 90% biomass resources.

In 2011, the South Carolina Department of Revenue ruled that the tax credit could be applied to an individual's income taxes. Specifically, a limited liability company (LLC) utilizing the biomass tax credit is allowed to pass through the credit to the shareholders of an S Corporation owning 60% of the parent LLC, provided there are at least four shareholders and all are residents of South Carolina. Costs incurred by a taxpayer must be certified by the State Energy Office, in consultation with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies, in order to qualify for the credit.

For taxable years beginning after 2007, the tax credit for all expenditures is limited to $650,000 per taxpayer year, and may not exceed 50% of a taxpayer's liability for that year. Unused credits may be carried forward for 15 years. For a fiscal year, all claims may not exceed $650,000 and must apply proportionately to all eligible claimants. To obtain the maximum amount of credit available, the taxpayer must submit a request for credit to the State Energy Office by January 31st for all qualifying equipment placed in service in the previous calendar year. The State Energy Office must notify the taxpayer that it qualifies for the credit and the amount of credit allocated to the taxpayer by March 1st of that year.

For purposes of this credit, a biomass resource means non-commercial wood, by-products of wood processing, demolition debris containing wood, agricultural waste, animal waste, sewage, landfill gas, and other organic materials, not including fossil fuels. "Commercial use" means a use intended for the purpose of generating a profit. A "manufacturing facility" means an establishment where tangible personal property is produced or assembled.

In South Carolina, taxpayers may claim a credit of 25% of the costs of purchasing and installing a solar energy system or small hydropower system for heating water, space heating, air cooling, energy-efficient daylighting, heat reclamation, energy-efficient demand response, or the generation of electricity in a building owned by the taxpayer. Effective July 1, 2009, SB 1141 expanded the scope of this credit to include small hydropower systems. Only hydropower systems installed after July 1, 2009 are eligible for the tax credit.

The maximum credit a taxpayer may take in any one tax year is $3,500 for each facility or 50% of the taxpayer's tax liability for that taxable year, whichever is less. Unused credit, or credit that exceeds the annual cap, may be carried forward for 10 years.

The term "system" includes "all controls, tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, and other equipment used directly and exclusively for the solar-energy system." The term "system" does not include any land or structural elements of the building, such as walls and roofs, or other equipment ordinarily contained in the structure.

Solar-thermal systems must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) or a comparable entity endorsed by the South Carolina Energy Office to qualify for the credit, unless the system was installed before June 19, 2007.

The South Carolina Department of Revenue offers forms and instructions for claiming the tax credit.

CharlestonWISE is an energy efficiency program for homeowners within the City of Charleston. The program offers up to $500 in instant rebates on completed home performance improvements for qualified residential customers on top of rebates available from local utility companies. Home performance improvements must be performed by a participating contractor.

CharlestonWISE is supported by partnerships with the City of Charleston, Abundant Power and the Sustainability Institute.

This program is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Better Buildings Program. The DOE has awarded over $500 million in federal funds to more than 40 states, local governments, and organizations to administer local programs targeting a variety of building types. Combined, these local programs are expected to improve the efficiency of more than 170,000 buildings through 2013 and save up to $65 million in energy costs annually.

In 2007 South Carolina enacted the Energy Freedom and Rural Development Act, which provides production incentives for certain biomass-energy facilities. Eligible systems earn $0.01 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity generated and $0.30 per therm (100,000 Btu) for energy produced from biomass resources. These incentives are available to systems that did not produce energy from biomass resources before June 30, 2008, or systems that increase production by at 25% over their greatest three-year average before June 30, 2008. The incentive payment is also applicable to energy from a qualifying facility placed in service and first producing energy on or after July 1, 2008. The maximum incentive is $100,000 per taxpayer per year. Incentives will be paid beginning on the date the system was placed in service. No incentives will be awarded after June 30, 2018. All claims will be paid from the state's general fund, and total claims may not exceed $2.1 million per fiscal year. As of August 2009, the South Carolina Department of Revenue had distributed $300,000 in payments. The incentive payment for the production of electricity or thermal energy may not be claimed for both electricity and energy produced from the same biomass resource.

For the purposes of this incentive, a biomass resource is defined as "wood, wood waste, agricultural waste, animal waste, sewage, landfill gas, and other organic materials, not including fossil fuels."

For more information about how to apply for the incentive, review the program application.

Note: For a limited time, generators of 6 kilowatts or less of renewable energy can now take advantage of a premium $0.10 per kilowatt hour. This premium is available on a first-come-first-serve basis to generators of solar, wind, hydro or biomass-based electricity.

The Palmetto Clean Energy (PaCE) Program, a green-power program designed to encourage the use of renewable energy in South Carolina, currently offers premium payments for electricity generated by customer-owned, grid-tied solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and small-scale hydropower systems. A collaborative effort among Duke Energy, Progress Energy, South Carolina Electric & Gas Company, the South Carolina Energy Office and the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff created PaCE in 2007, and the program was launched in April 2008. Premium payments supplement utility payments provided under renewable generator-utility power purchase agreements.* Prospective generators should contact PaCE to find out the current requirements. One block of green power costs $4 and supports approximately 100 kWh of renewable energy generation.

PaCE funding comes from the customers of participating utilities who voluntarily choose to support the program through an additional charge on their monthly utility bills. Of the $4, $3 goes to the generators and $1 goes to PaCE for marketing the program. The utilities collect these customer contributions and remit the funds to PaCE, a non-profit corporation, to administer the program.

All PaCE approvals of renewable generator applications, and premium payments, are subject to sufficient funding. This program is modeled on a similar program -- NC GreenPower -- in neighboring North Carolina.

* Contact the South Carolina Energy Office or a participating utility to determine the current types of generators supported by this program. Payments provided through power purchase agreements to renewable generators depend on the time of day and season; in general, they are highest at peak hours during the summer months. These rate payments vary by utility, as do the associated administrative fees and/or other charges imposed.

In 2007 South Carolina enacted the Energy Freedom and Rural Development Act (S.B. 243), which amended previous legislation concerning a landfill methane tax credit. The original legislation, enacted in 2006, allows a 25% corporate tax credit for costs incurred by a taxpayer for the use of landfill methane gas to provide power for a manufacturing facility. The 2007 amendments provide that, for taxable years beginning after 2007, taxpayers are allowed a credit against the income tax and/or license fees for 25% of the costs incurred by the taxpayer for the purchase and installation of equipment used to create heat, power, steam, electricity or another form of energy for commercial use from a fuel consisting of at least 90% biomass resources.

In 2011,  the South Carolina Department of Revenue ruled that the tax credit could be applied to an individual's income taxes. Specifically, a limited liability company (LLC) utilizing the biomass tax credit is allowed to pass through the credit to the shareholders of an S Corporation owning 60% of the parent LLC,  provided there are at least four shareholders and all are residents of South Carolina. Costs incurred by a taxpayer must be certified by the State Energy Office, in consultation with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies, in order to qualify for the credit.

For taxable years beginning after 2007, the tax credit for all expenditures is limited to $650,000 per taxpayer year, and may not exceed 50% of a taxpayer's liability for that year. Unused credits may be carried forward for 15 years. For a fiscal year, all claims may not exceed $650,000 and must apply proportionately to all eligible claimants. To obtain the maximum amount of credit available, the taxpayer must submit a request for credit to the State Energy Office by January 31st for all qualifying equipment placed in service in the previous calendar year. The State Energy Office must notify the taxpayer that it qualifies for the credit and the amount of credit allocated to the taxpayer by March 1st of that year.

For purposes of this credit, a biomass resource means non-commercial wood, by-products of wood processing, demolition debris containing wood, agricultural waste, animal waste, sewage, landfill gas, and other organic materials, not including fossil fuels. "Commercial use" means a use intended for the purpose of generating a profit. A "manufacturing facility" means an establishment where tangible personal property is produced or assembled.

During the 2008 legislative session, South Carolina legislators passed SB 1141, creating the Energy Efficient Manufactured Homes Incentive Program, effective July 1, 2009. This bill created an income tax credit, with the goal of encouraging consumers to purchase energy efficient manufactured homes.

To qualify for the nonrefundable $750 tax credit, an individual must purchase either: 1) a manufactured home that meets or exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's and the U.S. Department of Energy's energy-saving efficiency requirements; or 2) a manufactured home that meets or exceeds energy efficiency requirements under the ENERGY STAR program. In addition, the individual must purchase the home from a retail dealership licensed by the South Carolina Manufactured Housing Board and use the manufactured home in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Energy Office has developed tax credit applications which are given to customers by the manufactured home dealers and are also available on the Mobile Home Institute of S.C. website. The approved form must be submitted with paper tax forms, or retained with other tax documents by electronic filers. This credit is slated to expire July 1, 2019.

In South Carolina, taxpayers may claim a credit of 25% of the costs of purchasing and installing a solar energy system or small hydropower system for heating water, space heating, air cooling, energy-efficient daylighting, heat reclamation, energy-efficient demand response, or the generation of electricity in a building owned by the taxpayer. Effective July 1, 2009, SB 1141 expanded the scope of this credit to include small hydropower systems. Only hydropower systems installed after July 1, 2009 are eligible for the tax credit.

The maximum credit a taxpayer may take in any one tax year is $3,500 for each facility or 50% of the taxpayer's tax liability for that taxable year, whichever is less. Unused credit, or credit that exceeds the annual cap, may be carried forward for 10 years.

The term "system" includes "all controls, tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, and other equipment used directly and exclusively for the solar-energy system." The term "system" does not include any land or structural elements of the building, such as walls and roofs, or other equipment ordinarily contained in the structure.

Solar-thermal systems must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) or a comparable entity endorsed by the South Carolina Energy Office to qualify for the credit, unless the system was installed before June 19, 2007.

The South Carolina Department of Revenue has issued forms and instructions for claiming the tax credit.

South Carolina offers a sales tax exemption for "any device, equipment, or machinery operated by hydrogen or fuel cells, any device, equipment or machinery used to generate, produce, or distribute hydrogen and designated specifically for hydrogen applications or for fuel cell applications, and any device, equipment, or machinery used predominantly for the manufacturing of, or research and development involving hydrogen or fuel cell technologies."

A sales tax exemption may also be taken on building materials used to construct a new or renovated building or purchases of machinery for a research district. A research district is defined as land owned by the state, county or other public entity that is designated by the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University or the Savannah River National Laboratory. If the exemption is taken on building materials, however, the amount of sales tax that would be assessed without the exemption must be re-invested by the taxpayer in hydrogen or fuel cell machinery or equipment in the same research district within two years of the original purchase.

The South Carolina Energy Office offers the ConserFund Loan Program to fund energy efficiency improvements in state agencies, local governments, public colleges and universities, school districts and non-profit organizations. The ConserFund Loan Program will fund a variety of efficiency improvements, but priority is given to projects that have a fast energy savings payback. Generally, ConserFund loans are to be used on retrofits of existing buildings. However, ConserFund may be used to finance energy recovery systems, ground source heat pumps, biomass, solar, and other renewable energy systems in new construction facilities.

Organizations may finance one or multiple projects, covering up to 100% of eligible project costs, from $25,000 to $500,000. Implementation of the energy efficiency improvement must begin within six months of the loan closing and the proposed energy improvement must have long-term cost reductions to qualify.

To start the financing process, download a form from the program website or contact the South Carolina Energy Office.

Berkeley Electric Cooperative provides HomeAdvantage Loans to qualifying homeowners for energy efficiency upgrades to residences. Measures typically include air infiltration measures, insulation measures, duct work leakage, air flow improvement and HVAC system upgrades.  Loans of up to $15,000 are available through this offering and must produce a reasonable return on investment as determined by Berkeley Electric Cooperative. Typically, measures must produce adequate savings to repay the loan within 6 years. The program web site contains a loan calculator that interested customers can use to determine a projected monthly loan payment. Contact BEC for information on the program or visit the program web site listed above.

Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative (BREC) offers low interest loans to help members finance the purchase of energy efficient heat pumps. Loans under $1,500 can be financed for up to 42 months, and loans above $1,500 can be financed for up to 60 months for houses and 48 months for mobile homes. Homeowners planning to install one heat pump, electric or geothermal can borrow up to $7,500. Homeowners wishing to install two or more heat pumps or one geothermal heat pump can borrow up to $12,000. Mobile Home owners can borrow up to $5000. Qualifying heat pump must have a SEER Rating of 13 or higher. Contact BREC for more information on this program.

Pee Dee Electric Cooperative offers financing for members through the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Loan Program. Loans of up to $5,000, with repayment periods up to 72 months, can be used for a number of measures including:

• insulation for the attic, ducts, floors, walls, water heater and water piping
• storm windows and doors
• replacement thermal windows and insulated doors
• attic ventilation systems
• clock/programmable thermostats
• high efficiency electric heat pumps
• dual fuel systems (heat pump/fossil fuel combined systems)
• ground source heat pumps
• electric thermal storage
• caulking and weatherstripping

Members must first have a PDEC marketing representative conduct a home energy audit, a credit check, and project approval. After the audit, the marketing representative will recommend improvements that will make the home more energy efficient and provide an application for the loan.

Santee Cooper offers low-interest loans to residential customers who install photovoltaic (PV) systems, wind energy systems, micro-hydropower systems, biomass energy systems, or solar water heaters. Participation in the utility's "net billing" program is not required, but customers may opt to participate in that program.*

The maximum loan amount is $40,000, and the maximum term is 10 years. Under Santee Cooper's "net billing" program, a renewable-energy system may not exceed the estimated maximum monthly kilowatt (kW) demand of the residence or 20 kW, whichever is less. A home energy audit is required prior to the purchase and installation of a system, and customers must submit an interconnection application to Santee Cooper prior to installation.

* The term "net billing" is often confused with "net metering." In general, net billing is less favorable to customers than net metering. Santee Cooper does not offer net metering.

Santee Cooper provides low interest loans to residential customers to improve the efficiency of homes through the Smart Energy loan program. Customers can apply for energy efficient improvement loans ranging from $500 to $20,000 with up to 60-months to repay loans over $1,000. Renewable energy resource loans are also available up to $40,000, with up to 120-months to repay the balance. These loans require no down payment. Combined maximum outstanding loans per customer cannot exceed $40,000.

To qualify for the loan, customers must first schedule a free energy audit with Santee Cooper. The Santee Cooper representative will recommend the most cost effective conservation measures needed for the home. Prior to passing a credit check, customers must complete a loan application for either a Renewable Energy Resource Loan or an Energy Efficiency Loan.

Duke Energy encourages residential customers to buy energy-efficient homes through the utility's Energy Star Homes Program, which awards a rate discount to customers living in Energy Star homes. To earn the Energy Star label, homes are tested by a third-party inspector to ensure they meet the U.S. Department of Energy's criteria. Generally speaking, a home must be at least 30% more efficient than the national Model Energy Code for homes or 15% more efficient than the state energy code, whichever is more rigorous. The home test is the responsibility of the customer and/or the builder, and the cost range is from $300 to $500 for certification. The size of the home and the inspector’s travel time may affect the cost. Typical characteristics of an Energy Star home include:

• Effective insulation


• High-performance windows


• Tight construction and tight ducts


• Energy-efficient HVAC equipment


• Independent testing provided by third-party inspectors

Please refer to Schedule ES for more information.

Progress Energy Carolinas (PEC) offers an incentive to residential customers for improving the energy efficiency of homes. To qualify, the home must meet the standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star-labeled home program and be verified by a registered third party. The verification cost generally is in the range of $500 - $800 and is also affected by the size of the home and travel time. Customers with eligible houses will receive a 5% discount on monthly electric bills from Progress Energy. Contact PEC for more information on this incentive program.

 Aiken Electric Cooperative offers residential members rebates for installing high-efficiency electric water heaters and/or timers in their homes. Customers have four options for the rebate: 

1. A member may choose a free, new high-efficiency 50-gallon or 80-gallon electric water heater from AEC without a timer and pay a $200 installation fee. You can either pay the installation fee up front or take up to 36 months to pay by having a monthly payment amount added to your electric bill. A 9.9% interest rate will apply.
2. A member may choose a free, new high-efficiency 50-gallon or 80-gallon electric water heater from AEC with a timer and receive free installation AND a $2.50 per month credit for 10 years.
3. A member may choose to have a timer only installed on their existing electric water heater and receive a $200 cash payment from AEC and a $2.50 per month credit for 10 years.
4. For building an all electric, energy-efficient, new construction contract home, the member/buyer will receive $250 cash.

For more information see web site. 

Berkeley Electric Cooperative (BEC) offers several rebates to residential customers for energy efficiency upgrades. The H2O Advantage Water Heater Rebate Program offers a rebate of up to $300 for energy efficient electric water heaters with a load management switch. BEC must inspect the water heater and install the load management switch prior to awarding the rebate. A rebate of $500 is also available to customers who purchase and install a dual fuel heating system.

Berkley Electric Cooperative also provides residential rebates for geothermal heat pumps through the Earth Connect Program. Residents who install geothermal heat pumps in either new or existing homes can receive $250 per ton from BEC, up to a maximum rebate of $1,250.

For more information on these programs, see the program web site or contact BEC directly.

Duke Energy’s Smart $aver Incentive program offers rebates to non-residential customers to install energy efficient equipment in their facilities. All Duke Energy South Carolina nonresidential electric customers are eligible, except those that have elected to opt out of the Energy Efficiency Rider. Rebates are available for a wide range of equipment including lighting, heating and cooling equipment, chillers and thermal storage units, motors, pumps, VFDs, process equipment, and food service equipment. All equipment must meet certain energy efficiency standards stated on the program web site. To receive the rebates, customers should submit a completed application within 90 days after the equipment is installed and operational. A list of frequently asked questions and the program application forms can be found on the program web site.

Custom applications for up to 50% of cost on any electricity saving device can be sent to CustomIncentives@duke-energy.com. Three levels of energy assessments are available for commercial customers: online, over the phone, and on-site visits by an energy professional providing a report with paybacks. The on-site visits require a fee which can be recouped within the Smart $aver Incentives program; to begin, customers can contact businessservicecenter@duke-energy.com. Demand response programs are also available, providing rewards and load curtailment via a dedicated web portal for each commercial customer.

The Smart $aver® program offers incentives for residential customers to increase residential energy efficiency. Incentives are provided for qualifying heating and cooling equipment installation and service, attic insulation with air sealing, duct insulation, and duct sealing. Duke Energy Carolinas electric residential retail customers residing in a single-family home, condominium, duplex or mobile home are eligible for the incentives. All incentives are paid after completion of the services. Residential customers are also eligible for a free energy audit through the Home Energy House Call program. Interested customers should call 1-877-388-7676 to set up an appointment.

Commercial and industrial members who upgrade to energy-efficient light bulbs which meet EnergyUnited's standards are eligible for a prescriptive, "per unit" rebate. The cooperative will provide a rebate of $0.30 for each watt saved by the lighting upgrade. Fixtures which have had older bulbs replaced by highly efficient ones are eligible for the rebate. The new light bulbs must have a manufacturer's rated life of 36,000 hours or greater to qualify and must be installed in a professional manner. Rebate criteria are subject only to EnergyUnited standards. Contact an EnergyUnited representative for more information on this offering.

Palmetto Electric Cooperative offers rebates for its members who install ground-source heat pumps through the Buried Treasure Rebate Program. Rebates are in the amount of $200 per ton up to a maximum of $1,000 per household. Interested members must complete the Buried Treasure Rebate Form with a heat pump contractor and return it to Palmetto prior to the installation of the new system.

Pee Dee Electric Cooperative offers a variety of programs for residential members to save energy in participating homes. Rebates are available for dual fuel heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, and electric water heaters. Equipment must meet certain standards located on the program web site. Dual fuel heat pumps must be installed by a licensed SC mechanical contractor, and electric water heaters must have a control switch installed by the utility. Interested customers should contact Pee Dee Electric for more information.

Piedmont Natural Gas offers rebates to commercial customers for purchasing and installing high-efficiency natural gas tankless water heaters. Customers on the 202-Small General Service Standard Rate, 232-Small General Service Value Rate, 252-Medium General Service Standard Rate, or 262-Medium General Service Value Rate are eligible. Rebates are only provided for qualifying natural gas water heaters installed to replace previously used natural gas-fired equipment. Newly Constructed buildings and facilities using alternate fuel sources such as electricity or propane are not eligible. Customers must provide specific information regarding equipment purchases and installation contractors on the application form. Contact Piedmont Natural Gas for more information on this program.

Piedmont Natural Gas offers rebates on high-efficiency natural gas tankless water heaters, tank water heaters and furnaces. Customers on the 201-Residential Service Rate or 221-Residential Service Standard Rate schedule are eligible for rebates. Rebates are only provided for qualifying natural gas equipment that is installed to replace previously used natural gas-fired equipment. Newly Constructed homes and homes using alternate fuel source such as electricity or propane are not eligible. Customers must provide specific information regarding equipment purchases and installation contractors on the application form. Contact Piedmont Natural Gas for more information on this program.

Progress Energy is working with lighting manufacturers and local retailers to offer discounted pricing on CFLs.  The residential lighting program at Progress Energy's gives discounts at over 400 retail locations throughout NC and SC.

 

Progress Energy provides rebates for energy efficiency measures in new construction or retrofits, as well as Technical Assistance for feasibility/energy studies to commercial, industrial and government organizations. Incentives are based on prescriptive rebate amounts listed above or custom amounts based on annual kilowatt-hours (kWh) saved. Prescriptive rebate amounts are available on the program application forms on the Progress Energy web site listed above. A Custom Whole Building incentive for new construction modeled 10% beyond applicable building code can receive $0.09 per annual kWh saved up to $0.14 per annual kWh saved for designs exceeding 20% beyond code.

New buildings greater than 20,000 square feet and designed with a projected first-year electrical savings of at least 15% beyond the applicable building code can receive a design incentive of $.05 per kWh of projected first year savings, up to a maximum of $50,000, or a Building Energy Modeling Incentive up to $20,000, not to exceed the total cost of the modeling service., For retrofits to buildings that use over 500,000 kWh, customers can receive up to 50% of the cost of an energy or feasibility study or retro-commissioning up to $20,000 for a facility every three years.

Once a project is identified, a pre-approval incentive application should be submitted to Progress Energy. Pre-approval is required for some lighting projects and all custom projects, and technical assistance and is strongly encouraged for all projects to reserve funding. A final application and all required documentation should be received by Progress Energy within 90 days of project completion.

Progress Energy provides incentives for residential customers to increase home energy efficiency. Rebates are provided for certain heating and cooling products, duct sealing and repairs, air sealing and upgraded insulation.. To qualify, the equipment must meet the efficiency requirements outlined on the program web site and the home must be at least one year old. Customers also must use a contractor approved by Progress Energy to participate in the program. Customers must submit an application form, including equipment cut sheets and original contractor invoice, within 90 days of completion of the work. More details and a list of approved contractors are available on the program web site. Contact Progress Energy for further information on this program.

Through the SmartChoice program, Rock Hill Utilities offers rebates for water heater and heat pump replacements. Information on financing for heat pumps can also be found on the web site listed above. If both the water heater and heat pump are purchased then the customer may qualify for the Great Rate program. The Great Rate program will add a 25% discount to a customer heating bill during winter months. To qualify for the Great Rate program, the water heater must be equipped with a Smart Switch. This controls the flow of electricity to the heater during peak periods of demand. Contact Rock Hill Utilities for additional information on this program.

Santee Cooper has developed a Business Custom Rebate as part of their Reduce the Use: Business Prescriptive Rebate Program, which was designed to reduce a business's overall electricity use.

The Business Custom Rebate is a one-time rebate based on $0.10 for every kWh of verified first-year energy savings, up to $200,000 per project. Energy-saving measures not already covered by one of the Reduce the Use: Business Prescriptive Rebates for lighting, HVAC, building envelope or commercial refrigeration may qualify for a Custom Rebate. Contact Santee Cooper for more information on this program.

Santee Cooper, through its Reduce The Use program, provides rebates to commercial customers for the purchase and installation of energy efficient equipment and measures. Rebates are available on refrigeration, lighting, lighting controls and sensors, air conditioners, heat pumps, chillers, variable frequency drives for air handlers, envelope upgrades, and custom measures. All equipment requirements specified by Santee Cooper must be met in order to qualify for incentives. Contact the utility for equipment requirements before purchasing items. Certain rebates are offered based on the amount of electricity saved or avoided, while others are offered on a flat rate. Additionally, Santee Cooper provides a variety of rebates and financing options to residential customers for energy efficient and sustainable improvements.

Santee Cooper, through its Reduce The Use program, provides rebates to residential customers for the purchase and installation of energy efficient equipment and measures. Rebates are available on refrigerators, appliance recycling, new and existing homes, air source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, weatherization measures, and water heaters. Rebates require that recipients live in a single-family, all electric home. New Home and Exisitng Home incentives are determined by specified standards and must be verified with Santee Cooper. Santee Cooper also provides financing for energy efficient improvements to existing homes. Contact Santee Cooper for more information on this program.

South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) provides EnergyWise efficiency incentives to any non-residential customers in its service territory which have not opted out of the DSM programs by notifying SCE&G in writing through the Opt-Out form. Incentives cover retrofits, installing high-efficiency equipment during new construction, and replacing old or broken equipment such as high-efficiency lighting, LED traffic signals, HVAC systems and variable frequency drives on HVAC systems. Commercial food service equipment is also eligible for incentives under the program. Rebate payments will only be made to the SCE&G electric account holder in the SCE&G territory.

South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) provides energy efficiency incentives to home owners in its service territory. The program partners with the national Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program to offer a home energy audit and energy saving home solutions through participating contractors. Homeowners who make energy-efficient improvements through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program can save up to $2,500 for eligible improvements. A customer can also earn a bonus incentive of $400 for completing a Comfort Home Package which includes at least one measure from three categories of improvements. Individual pieces of equipment are also eligible for incentives separately from the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. Applicants must be the registered owner of a separately metered, detached, or attached single-family residence where the product/equipment is installed. Rebate payments will only be made to the SCE&G electric account holder in the SCE&G territory. View the program web site for additional details.

South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) provides energy efficiency incentives to home owners in its service territory. Natural gas customers are eligible for rebates on water heaters, gas logs, gas cooktops and furnaces. All equipment must meet program efficiency and installation requirements in order to qualify for rebates. Rebate payments will only be made to the SCE&G electric account holder in the SCE&G territory. Contact SCE&G for more information on this program.

York Electric Cooperative, Inc. (YEC) offers a $400 rebate to members who install a dual fuel heat pump in homes or businesses. The rebates are for primary residence and/or commercial and industrial locations. The incentive is for the property owner only, meaning that renters/tenants are not eligible. For owners of manufactured homes to receive incentives they must own the home and the property on which it is located. The application form, which is located on the program web site, should be filled out, signed, and turned in to YEC’s Key Accounts Representative.