[jcommin]

I work in manufacturing and am a big advocate of taking advantage of energy rebate programs by energy providers. In the Chicago area, ComEd and Nigas are the major energy providers. They have energy saving programs for LED lighting, motors, HVAC, air leaks for air compressor systems. I have personally used these programs on new equipment that use electricity and/or natural gas . There are programs for solar use as well. They are annual and the pot of money is finite - so you got to get in early to submit the project to be eligible. Projects are vetted: data is collect before and after and the amount of money awarded is determined by the savings.

There are also rebates for residential users as well. Thermostats, energy efficient appliances, etc

When I first got into this, I thought "Why would a utility care what I use - rebates are a joke" It's not true -