As discussed in 2024’s program updates webinar, many commercial and industrial lighting rebate programs are shifting incentives to midstream or instant channels. Several large programs made changes to start 2024, including Mid-American in Illinois and IESO Save on Energy in Ontario. At the end of this calendar year, the New York metropolitan area’s Con Edison will join them, with lighting incentives only available through their instant program.
Let’s back up a step: what are instant rebates, and what makes them different? An instant (or midstream) rebate is paid out to distributors, who typically pass those savings onto end users purchasing products through them. This is opposed to a prescriptive (downstream) program, where end users apply for rebate savings directly after purchasing eligible equipment. Prescriptive programs once dominated the incentive landscape but can have notoriously high barriers to entry, such as lengthy application requirements and a delay in receiving incentive funds as a result. Midstream rebates have grown in popularity over the past few years as an easier method of distributing rebates, as end users will receive savings at the point of sale through a discount on the purchase price.
ConEd’s emphasis on midstream started at the beginning of 2024, when they increased funding to this arm of their program by 36%. December 31, 2024, is the official end date of the prescriptive program; all projects after that date will need to go through the instant program to receive rebates. Many lighting measures also have a 25% bonus on the rebate through May 31st, 2024, so it’s a great time to get started!
Curious about how to take advantage of ConEd’s instant lighting rebate program? One of the easiest ways is to shop directly through our UtilityGenius Con Edison Commercial Storefront. If you have a business account through Con Edison, you can shop directly from a variety of our partner suppliers to receive the rebate savings from the instant program, including the bonus, directly in your cart. All that you need to do is submit the installation address or account number to verify eligibility, and you’re all set!
Instant programs like ConEd’s can eliminate many barriers to purchasing more energy-efficient equipment. Through our work with the Commercial Storefront, we’re excited to play a role in connecting more businesses to rebates.