5. Are there other incentives to upgrading my energy efficiency beyond all the benefits already discussed?
Although the benefits just discussed should be enough to convince even the most skeptical buyer there are other incentives to “do the right thing”. Our government wants us to be more energy efficient and less polluting (don’t we all). They have devised a number of incentives that encourage us to improve our operating performance.
Many states and utilities offer rebates that pay you significant amounts of money to help encourage you to make this transition. Each rebating authority has its own rules and regulations. However, they all share certain goals. They each want you to reduce your energy needs and transition to modern energy efficient technologies - and are willing to pay you to do so.
They do this for two reasons. Politically, each state wants to be seen as actively working to decrease pollution. Improving energy efficiency is one of the easiest and proven techniques for decreasing pollution. Plus, if each state doesn’t reduce their energy consumption they will soon be faced with even worse choices such as investing millions to billions of dollars in additional power plants or adding more capacity to their already overloaded distribution systems. Not only do these choices cost a fortune but voters don’t wish to hear about either one. No one wants these alternatives and many people, like The First Energy Group, are trying to do what we can BEFORE we have to face them.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers numerous tax credits and incentives for making this transition. (Please consult your tax advisor as to the relevancy of these. We are not offering you tax advice.) However, much of the technologies we offer may have 10% investment tax credits, are permitted accelerated depreciations or can be expensed as they occur. 
Many states and municipalities offer assistance (often by the Economic Develoment Authority in that area) in the forms of low cost financing or additional tax credits.
The First Energy Group is aware of these sources of "free" money. We will be glad to help you get them. After all you know where all this money comes from... the tax payers and rate payers. Isn't it time you got some of your money back?
