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Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) provides rebates to its commercial, industrial, institutional, and agricultural customers for high-efficiency HVAC systems, premium efficiency electric motors, heating equipment for natural gas systems, and lighting retrofits. For customers who use natural gas heating systems, NPU offers incentives of varying amounts on water heaters, boilers and furnaces. Visit the program site for more information and rebate amounts.

In partnership with several local banks, Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) is offering a zero percent loan to commercial and industrial customers for eligible energy efficiency improvement projects. Eligibility is determined by a technical evaluation of the customer's facility, and the evaluation must show that the proposed energy efficiency improvements would result in a positive cost benefit and project payback of five years or less. After the loan is approved, the customer will choose a contractor to perform work outlined in the NPU report.

This program is currently closed. Applications were due in February 2012. Additional funding rounds have not yet been announced. Check the program web site for the latest available information.

The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), formerly the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), created the Operational Demonstration (Op Demo) Program in August 2005 to enable early-stage companies to demonstrate the effectiveness of their own near-commercial, clean-energy technologies.

Connecticut provides a property tax exemption for "Class I" renewable energy systems* and hydropower facilities that generate electricity for private residential use. The exemption is available for systems installed on or after October 1, 2007, that serve single-family homes or multi-family dwellings limited to four units.* In addition, "any passive or active solar water or space heating system or geothermal energy resource" is exempt from property taxes, regardless of the type of facility the system serves.

Connecticut's two investor-owned utilities -- Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) and United Illuminating Company (UI) -- are required to provide net metering to customers that generate electricity using "Class I" renewable-energy resources, which include solar, wind, landfill gas, fuel cells, sustainable biomass, ocean-thermal power, wave or tidal power, low-emission advanced renewable-energy conversion technologies, and hydropower facilities up to two megawatts (MW) in capacity.

Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) provides residential customers with rebates on the ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances and energy efficient HVAC equipment. Eligible appliance purchases include refrigerators/freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, and heat pump/storage water heaters. The program is limited to one rebate per appliance per residential electric utility account. High efficiency heat pump water heaters are eligible for a rebate of up to $500.

Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) provides residential natural gas customers rebates for upgrading to energy efficient equipment in eligible homes. NPU offers rebates of between $250 - $1050 for natural gas furnaces, boilers, and water heaters which are installed in single family or two family homes. Minimum efficiency requirments (listed above and available on the program application) must be met in order to be eligible for rebates. NPU also offers a rebate program for its electric customers. Visit the utility's web site for more information.

As of July 2011, Connecticut authorizes municipalities to pass a local ordinance to exempt "Class I" renewable energy projects from paying building permit fees. Class I renewable energy projects include energy derived from solar power, wind power, fuel cells (using renewable or non-renewable fuels), methane gas from landfills, ocean thermal power, wave or tidal power, low-emission advanced renewable energy conversion technologies, certain newer run-of-the-river hydropower facilities not exceeding five megawatts (MW) in capacity, and sustainable biomass facilities.

In June 2012, Connecticut passed legislation enabling Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing (C-PACE), targeting commercial, industrial and multifamily property owners. C-PACE is a financial policy tool that allows property owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency and clean energy improvements on their properties through a special assessment on the property tax bill, which is repaid over a period of years (up to 20 years).

Note: The Federal Housing Financing Agency (FHFA) issued a [http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/15884/PACESTMT7610.pdf statement] in July 2010 concerning the senior lien status associated with most PACE programs. In response to the FHFA statement, most local residential PACE programs in the United States have been suspended until further clarification is provided.