Save Money and Energy with an Efficient Water Heater
To ensure customers receive the benefits of high-efficiency, the Sponsors of NHSaves have created the Commercial & Municipal Electric and Natural Gas Water Heater Initiative, a market transformation initiative that partners with distributors to offer monetary incentives on high-efficiency water heaters to commercially metered electric and natural gas customers.
How to Receive Benefits from the Commercial & Municipal Electric and Natural Gas Water Heater Initiative
To receive an incentive that reduces the initial equipment purchase cost of your high-efficiency water heater and maximizes your savings:
- Determine Your Water Heating Needs
- Contact your contractor to determine the needs for your business.
- Find a Participating Distributor
- Click here for a list of Participating Distributors or ask your contractor to reach out to a participating distributor who can work with you and your contractor to identify the right kind of high-efficiency equipment for your business.
- Start Saving Energy
- By purchasing a high-efficiency Water Heater, you may benefit from the energy savings over the lifetime of that equipment.
Your purchase of a qualifying high-efficiency water heater is eligible for an incentive off the purchase price if:
- The water heater(s) will be installed for commercial or municipal use at a site that has a commercial or municipal electric or natural gas account with one of the NH Sponsors; and
- You are not already receiving an incentive for the water heater equipment through another program sponsored by NHSaves or one of the Sponsors.
- Projects replacing an existing commercial natural gas, propane, or oil water heater with a Heat Pump Water Heater are not eligible for rebates.
Incentives are provided directly to distributors by the Sponsors. Your contractor must provide the installation address and site information to the distributor to obtain the incentive. Contractors are expected to pass the incentive amount along to their customer.
Qualifying Water Heater Equipment
Incentives are available for qualifying high efficiency equipment in the chart below:
Commercial & Municipal Natural Gas Water Heater Customer Incentives
Water Heater Type |
Input Rating |
Required Efficiency |
Customer Discount |
Storage |
>= 75 Mbtuh |
Thermal Efficiency >= 94% |
$2.00/Mbtuh |
Tankless (On-Demand) |
< 200 Mbtuh |
Energy Factor >= 0.94 or Uniform Energy Factor >= 0.91 |
$1.00/Mbtuh |
Volume (Domestic Hot Water Boiler) |
>= 75 Mbtuh |
Thermal Efficiency >= 94% |
$2.00/Mbtuh |
Indirect |
N/A |
N/A |
$200/unit |
Commercial & Municipal Electric Water Heater Incentives
Equipment |
Sector |
Existing Heating System Fuel Type |
Size |
Required Efficiency |
Customer Incentive ($/Unit) |
Electric Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH)
|
Commercial |
Electric1 |
≤ 80 Gallon |
UEF ≥ 3.2 |
$1,000 |
81-120 Gallon |
COP ≥ 3.6 |
$2,200 |
There are several high-efficiency water heating options available to commercial customers. Download the C&I water heater qualifying equipment table and discuss the best options for your business with your contractor.
Condensing storage water heaters utilize the heat from exhaust gas to heat water efficiently. Condensing storage water heaters can support multiple, simultaneous uses of hot water and are preferred for emergency replacement situations because of the ease of installation. Field-supplied materials are limited to piping and fittings near the heater because these water heaters use the same gas line as the unit they are replacing.
On-demand tankless water heaters provide a constant supply of hot water and are not subject to standby energy loss since they heat water only when needed. Tankless water heaters are well-suited for facilities with restricted or limited space because they do not require a storage tank.
Indirect water heaters consist of a storage tank that connects to a building’s main furnace or boiler to heat water. The energy stored by the tank allows the furnace or boiler to turn off and on less often, saving energy. Because they can be installed without additional exhaust piping, indirect water heaters tend to have lower installation and maintenance costs than traditional water heaters.
Condensing volume water heaters utilize heat from exhaust gas to heat water efficiently. Because they produce a high output, condensing hot water boilers can be a good option for facilities with high-volume hot water demands.
Heat pump water heaters use electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating their own heat like a traditional electric water heater. Because of this, they can be up to 3 times energy efficient than conventional electric resistance water heater, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
Additional Information
If you have questions about how to participate or enroll in the Commercial & Municipal Water Heater Initiative, please contact the Initiative implementer:
Energy Solutions
617-440-5468
heat-ne@energy-solution.com
Water Heater Equipment Qualifications and Incentives
*Liberty Customers & Contractors:
Liberty customers and contractors please note that these instant rebates are not offered by Liberty. Liberty offers similar rebates directly to customers or contractors. Liberty business customers and contractors looking for more information please contact NHSaves@FranklinEnergy.com or call (603) 637-4346 for details.