New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) offers you the chance to Ask the Energy Expert. Got a question about energy efficiency or renewable energy? Send your question to: EnergyExpert@nullNHEC.com and get answers from the Co-op Energy Solutions team.

Q: I own a small business and have already made some simple energy efficiency improvements like switching to energy-efficient lighting. What other opportunities do I have to save energy?

A: Probably the most cost-effective improvements you can make are weatherization upgrades to your building shell, including insulation and air sealing. Upgrading your existing boiler or furnace could also provide significant savings.

Water heating is a substantial expense for many small business owners, particularly those in the hospitality industry. Unless you’re using equipment manufactured within the past five years or so, you’re probably using a boiler or furnace that’s 70% to 80% efficient. Today’s energy-efficient boilers are more than 90% efficient and can save a lot of money in the long run.

Similarly, many small businesses are literally throwing money out the window due to poorly insulated spaces that allow heat to escape in the winter months and cool air in the summer months. Together, weatherization and water heating upgrades can pay for themselves in a surprisingly short amount of time. That’s the idea behind NHEC’s Fossil Fuel Program, which aims to help small business owners reduce their fossil fuel usage.

NHEC offers rebates of 35% of the installed cost of the energy efficiency improvements up to $15,000 for small business owners in Co-op service territory. The upgrades must have a payback period of five years or less to qualify for rebates. Now is the time to plan your energy efficiency upgrades – program details are available at NHEC.com/EnergySolutions.