With newly legalized recreational cannabis use, most indoor cultivation facilities in New York State are eligible for grow lamp and HVAC rebates through the end of 2021
The largest electric utilities in New York State are currently offering excellent grant opportunities for growers seeking premium energy-wise equipment. In some places, these grants are greater than 60% of the equipment cost. This includes customers of Consolidated Edison Co, National Grid, NY State Gas and Electric, Long Island Power, and more. However, these rebates may not be available to cannabis growers in the near future.
In April, New York Governor Andrew Cumo signed legislation legalizing cannabis for adults 21 and older. Although consumers cannot easily purchase cannabis for another year, on the business side a flurry of real estate and cultivation activity began immediately.
As businesses make facility and equipment decisions, they should take advantage of cash-back energy efficiency rebates. The largest utility in New York State, Consolidated Edison Company, serving over 2 million customers, offers robust efficiency rebates of up to 60% of the equipment cost. This could equal tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash-back rebates.
Other utilities covering most of the rest of the state such as National Grid, Long Island Power, NY State Gas & Electric, and Rochester Gas & Electric are offering efficiency grants in the range of 25-50% of equipment cost. Rebates also exist (in slightly lower ranges) for efficient indoor HVAC and DEHU equipment. Similarly, greenhouses supplemented with lighting are eligible for reduced, yet still significant rebates.
If cost is a barrier to purchasing the most efficient equipment, reach out to a horticultural rebate expert to get an estimate for your project. Because grow lamps and DEHU rebates are like custom grants, they have unique project applications, timelines, and criteria.
Although New York rebates are robust today, they may only be available through the end of this year. State legislators proposed regulations that would basically eliminate the efficiency funding for cannabis growers only if passed as currently drafted. For New York growers, this creates greater urgency to secure funding ASAP.
And remember – don’t purchase lights until you have been approved by your utility or you will most likely disqualify yourself from any incentive money.
