BAYREN BUSINESS UPGRADES
Helping Solano businesses save money through energy-efficient upgrades.
BAYREN BUSINESS UPGRADES
Bay Area businesses can benefit from incentives available for energy efficient HVAC, refrigeration, LED lighting, water heating, envelope improvements, and more.
Reduce energy consumption, enhance air quality, and improve the comfort of your building with BayREN Business.
BIG SAVINGS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Rising energy costs have many businesses looking for immediate ways to cut expenses. BayREN Business can help you upgrade to efficient HVAC, refrigeration, LED lighting, water heating, and more.
UPGRADE & SAVE
Follow these simple steps to start your BayREN Business upgrade process.
Submit an Interest Form
BayREN will reach out within 5 business days to discuss eligibility and provide an overview of the program.
Schedule a Free Equipment Evaluation
Your existing systems will be reviewed to identify energy-efficient upgrade opportunities.
Receive New Equipment & Service
From start to finish, the project team helps coordinate delivery, installation, and service.
See Energy Savings
Reduce day-to-day energy use and save on utility costs with upgraded business systems.
REAL SAVINGS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
Hear how Solano County businesses are using BayREN Business to reduce costs and improve their facilities.
Barrel 2 Bottle
Vacaville, CA
Barrel 2 Bottle
When new owners took over Barrel 2 Bottle, they wanted to modernize the store, improve the customer experience, and reduce overhead costs.
Through BayREN Business, store manager Arsh Sidhu upgraded the overhead lighting to high-efficiency LED fixtures, creating a brighter and more inviting store environment.
The team also replaced outdated motors in refrigeration units with energy-efficient models and advanced controllers, helping the store operate more efficiently.
“These upgrades have made a noticeable difference. The store is brighter, the refrigerators run more efficiently, and we saw savings just a few months after installation!” — Arsh Sidhu
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Answers about eligibility, assessments, incentives, contractors, upgrades, and project requirements.
No. There is no obligation to move forward with your energy efficiency project after you receive a free assessment and proposal from the contractor.
Incentive amounts depend on project size and actual measured energy savings. Incentives are paid directly to contractors, who may use them to lower upfront costs for customers.
A review of past invoices shows that nearly all projects completed by participating contractors did not require out-of-pocket costs from customers.
Some contractors may ask customers to pay part of the upfront project costs and then provide payments as incentives are received. On average, the incentive per project is about $15,000, while the average project cost is around $8,100 based on contractor invoices.
Since incentive payments are paid directly to the contractor, installations must be performed by a contractor who has completed the required agreements with the BayREN Business Program. However, the program may be able to work with your contractor to become a participating contractor.
Installation time depends on the scope of your project and the contractor’s availability. The contractor will work with you to schedule the installation time that is most convenient for your business.
Once you fill out the BayREN Business Interest Form, a program representative will contact you within five business days to determine eligibility. If eligible, you will be referred to at least two program contractors who will contact you to schedule an assessment.
Please email concerns or issues to env-bayrenbpa@sfgov.org. The program will respond within one business day and is committed to helping you reach a satisfactory resolution.
No. The agreement for goods or services is solely between the customer and the contractor. All project costs, payments, promised rebates, responsibilities, and outcomes are the responsibility of the customer and contractor.
The program does not endorse, warrant, or guarantee the quality, performance, or conduct of any contractor. Customers are encouraged to review qualifications, check references, and confirm licensing and insurance.
Visit the BayREN website for more program information.
Visit BayREN- Free energy assessment
- Potentially little to no out-of-pocket costs
- New or upgraded equipment requiring less maintenance
- Lower energy costs and overhead
- More comfortable environment for customers and employees
For projects completed in 2024, businesses are expected to save an average of 6,400 kWh annually, resulting in an estimated average annual utility bill savings of $2,800.
If your business is not eligible to participate in the BayREN Business Program, the program will do its best to refer you to other programs that may be a better fit.
BayREN Business is a publicly funded energy efficiency program that offers free energy efficiency assessments, financial incentives, and expert technical support to small and medium businesses in all Bay Area counties.
The program promotes a wide range of energy efficiency upgrades, including lighting, refrigeration, HVAC, water heating, insulation, and controls-based technologies, as long as energy savings are measurable. Already started or completed upgrades are not eligible.
Contractors receive incentives directly from BayREN Business. They first receive 40% of the estimated incentive once the project is completed and approved. A true-up payment may be issued after 12 months based on actual energy savings.
Yes. Project sites with EV chargers that are not separately metered cannot participate. If separately metered, they may be eligible, but their energy usage must be included in the total annual energy use when determining eligibility.
Yes. Sites with on-site generation such as solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, or battery storage systems are not eligible. Participants must also agree not to install on-site generation during the 12-month performance monitoring period after project completion.