DNREC’s Division of Energy & Climate relaunched Delaware’s Energy Efficiency Investment Fund – a grant program that supports energy efficiency upgrades in commercial, industrial, non-profit and local government buildings.
The program features incentives for building systems upgrades exceed energy efficiency standards currently required by Delaware’s building energy code.
Also, the program has been improved for quicker turnaround time between submission and review of applications. Lighting incentives also have been redesigned to better reflect market trends in light of low-cost LED technology.
“The Energy Efficiency Investment Fund has supported hundreds of projects that reduce Delawareans’ energy use and help lower operating costs,” said Energy Administrator Rob Underwood, of the Division of Energy & Climate. “Through these program improvements, we hope to encourage a deeper dive into energy efficiency with creative projects.”
“We still encourage basic changes like switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs, but there are also opportunities for larger, innovative projects like daylighting, or lower watts-per-square-foot adjustments that can accomplish the same lighting goals with even less energy. The same is true for other building systems,” Underwood added.
For example, energy efficiency improvements can be made in HVAC systems, building automation, building envelope, plug load controls and even more complex projects like cogeneration (combined heat and power).
The division noted new commercial construction in Delaware is required to be net-zero energy capable by 2025. This means new buildings will use energy efficiently enough that each facility could potentially meet its annual energy needs with on-site renewable energy, such as solar panels.
The Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (EEIF) was initially created in 2011 to help Delaware businesses make equipment and facility upgrades that would reduce their energy use, resulting in lower operating costs and reduced environmental impacts.
Due to lack of funding, the program was temporarily suspended in February 2016. The Division of Energy & Climate is now reopening the program using funding from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – a multi-state cap-and-trade program that reduces greenhouse gas pollution. With the support of the Delaware Sustainability Energy Utility (SEU) the program also has additional RGGI funding for non-profit recipients and expanded grant eligibility to include funding for local governments.
For more information, contact Rachel Yocum by email at Rachel.Yocum@state.de.us, or by phone at 302-735-3480, or click Energy Efficiency Investment Fund.
