Industrial facilities and agricultural producers have many opportunities to reduce energy costs, improve system performance and meet operational goals. Whether you’re replacing equipment, optimizing existing equipment, upgrading a system or improving building performance and energy efficiency across your business, Energy Trust of Oregon can help.

Each opportunity is designed to meet different customer needs, and customers can engage in more than one path. Explore the four ways below to learn how each option works and identify the best fit for your business.

Equipment cash incentives
Cash incentives are available for qualifying energy-efficient equipment upgrades. Incentives are paid after equipment is purchased, installed and required project documentation is submitted.

Examples of incentive projects:

• Purchasing energy-efficient battery chargers for forklifts or pallet jacks
• Adding insulation for buildings or pipes
• Adding variable frequency drives (VFDs) to pumps or fans
• Replace worn irrigation components such as sprinklers, regulators, drains and gaskets
• Replacing leaking or failed steam traps
• Installing a smart thermostat
• Purchasing energy-efficient welding equipment
• Upgrading radiant heaters and boilers

Steps to apply for equipment cash incentives

1. Review forms and eligibility requirements to determine which equipment upgrades qualify.
2. Purchase and install qualifying equipment or work with a Trade Ally contractor.
3. Submit required form(s) and documentation within 180 days of equipment purchase.
4. Receive your incentive check in 60-90 days. Post-installation verification may apply.

Semi-custom projects
Some energy-efficiency projects require additional analysis before equipment is installed to help ensure accurate savings estimates, appropriate equipment selection and incentives tailored to the project. Through the semi-custom path, Energy Trust reviews your project, estimates potential energy savings and provides an offer letter with an estimated incentive before work begins.

Examples of semi-custom projects:

• Installation of high-speed doors for refrigeration facilities
• Energy-efficient refrigeration upgrades, including controls, electronic thermal expansion valves and variable frequency drives (VFDs) for evaporator fans, condenser fans and glycol pumps
• Compressed air system upgrades, including cycling refrigerated dryers, low pressure-drop filters and zero-loss condensate drains
• Compressed air leak repair service

Steps to apply for semi-custom projects:

1. Contact Energy Trust and provide information about your business and the equipment you want to upgrade. We’ll ask about your facility, operating hours and other details about your project.
2. Energy Trust will estimate the energy savings opportunity from the equipment upgrade and provide an offer letter with an estimated incentive based on your project information.
3. Sign the offer letter to reserve your estimated incentive.
4. Purchase and install qualifying equipment. You may work with your preferred contractor or find a local Trade Ally contractor.
5. Notify us when your project is complete. Once work is finished, call or email Energy Trust and we’ll send you a Project Completion Certification to sign and return along with copies of your final cost documentation.
6. Energy Trust will confirm receipt of your Project Completion Certification and advise you on next steps. We may schedule a site visit to verify the installed project.
7. Your application and incentive will be processed. Receive your check in 60 to 90 days.

Custom projects
Custom projects are designed for opportunities that fall outside standard incentive offerings and require more detailed analysis than semi-custom projects. This path provides engineering expertise, technical analysis and incentives tailored to your business’ specific energy-saving opportunity, whether that involves equipment upgrades, operational improvements or system optimization. Energy Trust can support projects that help improve the performance of existing systems, including controls adjustments, setpoint optimization and other operations and maintenance (O&M) strategies. Contact Energy Trust before purchasing or installing equipment to determine project eligibility.

No-cost technical services:

• Site walk: Energy Trust can conduct a focused or facility-wide site walk to help identify energy- and cost-saving opportunities.
• Technical analysis study: Once a custom project has been identified, Energy Trust can conduct a technical analysis study to evaluate potential energy savings and identify the most cost-effective energy-saving solution. These studies are provided at no cost to your company.
• Installation guidance: Energy Trust supports your project throughout the installation process with technical assistance, development of project specifications and evaluation of contractor bids.
• Post-installation verification: When the project is complete, Energy Trust verifies that the project delivered the expected energy savings.

Examples of custom projects:

• Capital energy-efficiency projects, such as high-efficiency boilers, cooling towers, compressors, variable frequency drives (VFDs), motor rebuilds and process improvements that reduce energy use while maintaining or improving production.
• Operations and maintenance (O&M) projects that improve the performance of existing systems, such as equipment sequencing, controls optimization, setpoint adjustments, compressed air leak repairs and other operational improvements that deliver measurable energy savings.

Steps to apply for custom projects:

1. Reach out to Energy Trust to discuss your capital improvement or operations and maintenance opportunities.
2. For capital energy-efficiency projects:
   Energy Trust engineering experts will perform a no-cost technical study to estimate energy savings and provide an incentive offer for eligible projects.
   For operations and maintenance (O&M) projects:
   Energy Trust will review existing operations, identify optimization opportunities and work with you to maximize system performance and energy savings.
3. Install or complete your project.
4. Work with your account manager to complete the required verification and documentation. Energy Trust may review project information and conduct any necessary post-installation verification to confirm project completion and energy savings.
5. Receive your check in 60 to 90 days.

Strategic Energy Management offering
Strategic Energy Management (SEM) helps your business make energy efficiency part of everyday operations. By working alongside energy coaches, facilities identify practical opportunities to reduce energy use, engage employees in finding and implementing solutions and develop continuous improvement practices that support long-term savings and energy performance.

What’s included in an SEM engagement:

• Six workshops that help your team identify energy-saving opportunities and build a culture of continuous improvement.
• Monthly support from SEM coaches to help track progress, overcome barriers and achieve energy-saving goals.
• Build your facility’s energy saving plan with expert guidance from your SEM coach.
• Access to Gazebo^TM to monitor energy performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Expert engineering support to help identify, evaluate and implement energy-saving projects.
• Milestone payments of up to $5,000 for completing key program activities and achieving goals.
• Cash incentives based on verified energy savings.

Steps to apply for SEM:

1. Reach out to Energy Trust to discuss your interest in Strategic Energy Management at your facility.
2. An Energy Trust account manager will connect with you to discuss your operations and determine your facility’s best options for support.

Not sure which path is right for your project?
You don’t need to determine eligibility or select the right path on your own. Energy Trust of Oregon can help you evaluate your needs and find energy savings for your business.

Call 1.866.202.0576 or email production@energytrust.org to get started.