Efficiency Maine Initiative to Boost Recovery of Maine’s Hospitality Industry

Augusta, Maine – May 13, 2021 – Maine’s hospitality sector is being invited to upgrade heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, LED lighting, and refrigeration equipment. For a limited-time, Efficiency Maine is offering enhanced financial incentives to accelerate conversions to high-efficiency equipment in the hospitality industry, as well as assist businesses as they gear up for this year’s tourist season and beyond.

This initiative, which will also reduce carbon emissions from the hospitality industry, falls under Efficiency Maine’s Commercial and Industrial Prescriptive Program.

“As Maine embarks on a new, hopeful tourist season there’s no better time for the proprietors and managers of our restaurants and places of lodging to consider upgrading the systems that will help make their establishments more comfortable, attractive, and energy efficient,” said Rick Meinking, senior program manager for commercial initiatives at Efficiency Maine. “Whether it’s improving an air conditioning system, installing high-efficiency lighting, or upgrading refrigeration equipment, these incentives aim to bolster success in Maine’s hospitality sector.”

Restaurants, hotels, motels, inns, and bed and breakfasts qualify for this enhanced, limited-time opportunity. Airbnbs, camps, cabins, cottages, and nonpermanent structures are not eligible.

Greater incentives are available for high-performance heat pumps, packaged terminal heat pumps, vertical packaged terminal heat pumps, an array of refrigeration measures, and LED retrofit lighting. Detailed incentive information on the qualifying equipment can be found in the Hospitality Retrofits Funding Opportunity Notice.

“With these new incentives from Efficiency Maine, our state’s hospitality businesses can make significant energy efficiency investments to help them save money and fight climate change,” said Dan Burgess, director of the Governor’s Energy Office. “We applaud Efficiency Maine’s leadership in putting this program forward to support small businesses and help Maine achieve its ambitious climate and clean energy goals.”

The limited-time offer began on April 1, 2021. The application deadline is July 1, 2021. Accepted projects must be complete by September 3, 2021. Interested businesses can get more information about this funding opportunity on the Efficiency Maine website.

Efficiency Maine’s Commercial and Industrial Prescriptive Program offers fixed incentives to reduce the cost of projects and to improve energy efficiency for various sectors, including businesses, municipalities, schools and higher education facilities, manufacturing and other industrial facilities, as well as other non-residential facilities, and multifamily and condominium buildings with five or more units.

To learn more about the Efficiency Maine Prescriptive Program and how to maximize its benefits visit https://www.efficiencymaine.com/at-work/ci-prescriptive-incentive-program/.  

About Efficiency Maine Trust

Efficiency Maine Trust is the independent administrator for programs to improve the efficiency of energy use and reduce greenhouse gases in Maine. The Trust does this primarily by delivering financial incentives on the purchase of high-efficiency equipment or changes to operations that help customers save electricity, natural gas and other fuels throughout the Maine economy. The Trust is a quasi-state agency governed by a Board of Trustees with oversight from the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Visit www.efficiencymaine.com for more information.

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Contact:

Kate Rankin, Senior Communications Manager
Efficiency Maine Trust
207-512-5905
Kate.rankin@efficiencymaine.com