Rochester Public Utilities’ (RPU) commercial Conserve and Save™ rebates provide incentives to businesses for making energy efficient and electrification improvements, including lighting enhancements, heating and cooling system improvements, and commercial kitchen upgrades. The full list of eligible improvements and application forms for the Conserve and Save™ rebates can be found here. 

RPU’s Retro-Commissioning (RCx) Program is designed to help businesses with high energy usage (>500,000kWh/year) conserve energy through an in-depth energy audit by experts who will provide information about how your building should ideally operate. Businesses often save up to 20% on their utility bills after participating in this program.  

Minnesota Energy Resources has energy efficiency business rebates available for improvements such as furnace tune-ups, increased insulation, and new water heating systems. View the full list here. 

Businesses looking to maximize and leverage funding for energy conservation measures may consider Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC). ESPC is financial mechanism created by the U.S. Department of Energy used to pay for current facility upgrades with future energy savings.  

Commercial property owners interested in energy efficiency or renewable energy upgrades may consider Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing through MinnPACE. MinnPACE works with property owners across Minnesota to finance clean energy investments that are repaid over time through property taxes. MinnPACE investments tend to be cash positive with utility savings exceeding payment obligations. More information can be found at Minnpace.com.