Santee Cooper has unveiled its “Smart Energy Homes Program,” the next phase of its multiyear “Reduce the Use South Carolina” campaign. The effort uses rebates and incentives to substantially reduce the use of electricity and improve energy efficiency among the utility’s 163,000 direct-serve residential and commercial customers.

Smart Energy Homes comprises two major categories: one rebate geared toward new homes, available to builders; the other, a rebate for existing homes, available to homeowners.

Homebuilders can participate in one of two levels
• Energy Star New Homes – Homes that are 15% more efficient than 2006 International Energy Conservation Code standards garner a rebate of $1,600 for the builder.
• Smart Energy New Homes – Homes that are 10% more efficient than 2006 International Energy Conservation Code standards garner a rebate of $1,000 for the builder.

Current homeowners have one level of participation:
• Smart Energy Existing Homes – Qualifying energy efficiency improvements can earn the homeowner a $600 rebate.

“We created the Smart Energy Homes Program to help customers save money on their power bill while making their home more comfortable to live in,” said Lonnie Carter, president and CEO of Santee Cooper. “Through this new rebate program, we’re taking energy savings to the next level with enhanced energy efficiency standards that truly build in value for our residential customers who are buying new homes or upgrading their existing home.”

The Smart Energy Homes Program replaces the Good Cents Home Program. Rebates are limited to one per qualified unit.

Santee Cooper’s “Reduce the Use South Carolina” energy efficiency campaign includes 42 energy efficiency initiatives to help achieve the energy efficiency portion of its 2020 goal, which is 209 million kilowatt-hour savings annually. The goal states that, by 2020, the utility will generate 40% of its energy from biomass fuels, conservation, energy efficiency and resources that do not emit greenhouse gases.

Courtesy: Columbia Regional Business Report, Published Nov. 3, 2009