Turning Energy Into Cash

It always pays to do your homework before investing in energy-efficient equipment such as ENERGY STAR qualified products. What products and equipment really work? How much will it cost to install? Where do you find the money? How quickly will you recover your investment? There are many resources to help you get the answers that will work for your business.

Analysis Tools and Resources

• ENERGY STAR's Resources: Finance, Products & Services

• EPA's Small Business Gateway

• Small Business Administration's Financing Your Business

Incentives, Rebates and Other Resources

• National Association of State Energy Officials' "State and Territory Energy Offices" Web page

• Alliance to Save Energy's Financing Energy Efficiency

• Local Government Commission's Funding Opportunities

Another consideration in funding energy-efficiency upgrades is the price of the equipment. Why pay more than you must for efficient products and equipment? Perhaps your Chamber of Commerce, trade or professional business association would sponsor a group purchase in which you and other small businesses pool your buying power for volume discounts. Read more about this strategy to stretch your investment capital in ENERGY STAR Small Business's Group Purchasing Fact Sheet.

The two most common financial evaluation tools are simple payback and internal rate of return (IRR):

• Simple Payback: The number of years it takes to recover the cost of the upgrade from the savings.

• Internal Rate of Return: Compares the financial results of an upgrade against other investments.

Learn more about financial indicators in ENERGY STAR's Buildings Upgrade Manual's Financing Section.

     

Produced in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Business Gateway and ENERGY STAR®