NextZero commercial heat-pump rebates
Rebates for small, efficient air-source heat pumps replacing heating and cooling equipment in existing nonresidential buildings served by Chicopee Electric Light.
Ta możliwość jest obecnie dostępna po angielsku.
Chicopee Electric Light (CEL)’s NextZero Prescriptive HVAC Program pays an equipment-based rebate after an approved installation is verified. This entry covers the small air-source heat-pump retrofit option: new ENERGY STAR-certified systems below 5.4 cooling tons, up to 64,999 British thermal units per hour. The rebate is $300 per cooling ton, calculated using the equipment’s rated net cooling capacity, entered in the application as “AHRI Net Cooling Capacity”, multiplied by the number of units.
The award range covered here is strictly below 50% of installed/project costs and below $25,000. Your combined incentives across all CEL NextZero Business Programs must also remain below $25,000 per business in the same calendar year, so earlier awards reduce the available allowance. These figures describe this entry’s covered range. CEL can adjust or negotiate the incentive, and payment cannot exceed either the preapproved amount or the actual approved purchase and installation costs. Changes in installed quantities or qualifying costs can reduce or eliminate the payment.
Operate and maintain the equipment according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, replacing consumables with products of comparable or better efficiency at your expense. For three years after installation, provide access, information and cooperation for monitoring or inspection. CEL can reduce or eliminate the incentive for changed quantities or costs, noncompliant installation, poor maintenance, altered or disconnected equipment, or shutdown or significantly reduced operations. You must refund payments when these circumstances cause the projected energy savings not to be achieved.
You retain the energy-cost savings, while CEL receives the other energy attributes and credits. You are responsible for declaring and paying any tax on the benefit. Under the terms, you must defend and cover specified claims arising from acts or omissions by you, subcontractors, agents or other third parties connected with the project. You waive claims against CEL and its affiliates beyond payment of the incentive, and the terms limit CEL and MMWEC’s liability to paying approved incentives. CEL does not guarantee equipment, contractors or savings. CEL may publicize participation.
Eligibility
- You must maintain an electricity service account with CEL and be in good financial standing. The covered installation is in an existing commercial, industrial, governmental, institutional or educational building in CEL’s service territory.
- The new equipment must be ENERGY STAR-certified and meet the application’s small-ASHP minimums: 15.2 SEER2 for seasonal cooling efficiency and 9.0 HSPF2 for seasonal heating efficiency. These are the published efficiency ratings to check against the equipment’s technical specifications; the system must meet both. This entry covers retrofit/replacement systems below 5.4 cooling tons.
- Obtain cost quotations and use a properly qualified, licensed and insured contractor. You choose and contract with the installer and remain responsible for compliance; CEL may exclude equipment or contractors.
- Obtain written preapproval before purchasing or installing. Complete installation during 2026 and by the date in the approval letter. CEL may terminate its payment obligation if installation is not completed within 60 days of preapproval.
- Obtain all required permits, licences and inspections, and comply with applicable laws and codes. Remove and dispose of or recycle old equipment lawfully; do not reinstall removed equipment in Massachusetts or an affiliated municipal light department’s service territory.
How to apply
- Status
- zamyka się 31 gru 2026
- Zamyka się
- Warunki naboru
- Apply before purchase and installation; installation must finish in 2026 and meet the preapproval schedule.[^c8][^c9][^c19]
- Invoices are due within 60 days of invoice date; December project invoices must arrive by 31 January 2027.[^c10]
- CEL may alter or cancel the programme without notice.[^c23]
Submit the completed application and documents to NextZero at energysavingsCEL@mmwec.org, or mail them to NextZero Program c/o DNV, 120 Water Street, Suite 350, North Andover, MA 01845. You or your contractor can submit it. The customer must sign and date it in wet ink; a scanned signed copy is acceptable, but an electronic signature is not. Include manufacturer technical specification sheets for every equipment type, your most recent CEL electricity bill and a W9 for the selected rebate recipient. NextZero’s hotline is 844-371-6704.
Wait for the written preapproval letter before buying or installing. CEL may request a detailed scope, savings or demand-reduction analysis, other documents or additional agreements, and may revise calculations. The letter sets the approved incentive and completion date. Satisfactory pre-installation inspection is required unless programme materials waive it, and payment depends on satisfactory post-installation verification. Projects requesting $2,500 or more have a site inspection; smaller projects may be inspected at random.
After installation, send the signed preapproval letter and itemized invoices showing equipment and labour separately, installation date and location, equipment models, quantities, costs and discounts. Include purchase date and place; submit a revised application if installed quantities differ. Invoices must be submitted within 60 days of their date, and invoices for projects completed in December 2026 must arrive by 31 January 2027. Applications and installation must both be completed by 31 December 2026.
Payment follows approval, all required permits, licences and inspections, completed compliant installation, and verification of costs and installation. CEL will use commercially reasonable efforts to pay within 45 days after all these conditions are met; this is not a guaranteed payment deadline. It may require final drawings, operating and maintenance manuals or operator training before payment. Get CEL’s written consent before assigning payment or other rights, including payment to an installer. For contractor shared-savings arrangements, CEL determines eligible purchase and installation costs.
CEL can change or cancel the programme or withhold approval without notice. Approved applications use the terms and programme materials in effect at preapproval.