The Bottom Line of Commercial Energy Efficiency Financing

Illustration of a city

According to the Department of Energy, a typical commercial building wastes 30 percent of the energy it uses. Whether you’re part of a nonprofit, house of worship, municipal building or business, your commercial building has expenses associated with energy. When you invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades—especially in older buildings—you can take control of your building’s energy costs and effectively free up cash to spend your energy on what matters.

Through the latest in energy solutions and our well-conceived renewable energy and energy efficiency financing, Michigan Saves helps commercial customers afford the upfront costs of greening their buildings to stop wasting valuable energy and money. Some of these energy improvements include eligible measures under our commercial financing program—such as LED lighting, HVAC systems, insulation, ENERGY STAR® appliances, water heaters and more.

 

Interest rate buydowns still available through 2019!

Thanks to our partnerships with DTE, Consumers Energy and SEMCO Energy Gas Company, Michigan Saves continues to offer reduced interest rates to commercial and municipal customers for qualifying energy efficiency upgrades! With rates as low as 0% APR, commercial customers can take advantage of this special, limited-time financing for custom and prescriptive energy efficiency projects that can help improve their bottom lines with serious energy savings.

Here’s a rundown of the current offers:

DTE Energy logo

There are five great financing options available for custom and prescriptive gas projects:

Promotional Rate
Term (months)
Amount
What/Who
1.99% APR
12–24
$5,000–$50,000

Electric

2.99% APR
12–60
$5,000–$150,000

Electric

0.00% APR
12–60
$5,000–$300,000

All gas customer projects

0.00% APR
12–60
$5,000–$150,000

K–12 public schools, houses of worship

1.99% APR
12–60
$5,000–$150,000
Government, municipal, street lighting

We’ve also partnered with DTE on its Food Service Instant Rebate Program!

  • Promotional Rate: 0.00% APR
  • Term: 12–36 months
  • Amount: $5,000–$50,000
  • What: Specific eligible commercial kitchen products sold by authorized participating dealers and distributors
  • Who: DTE Food Service Instant Rebate customers
Consumers Energy logo
  • Promotional Rate: 0.00% APR
  • Term: 36 months
  • Amount: $5,000-$50,000
  • What: Custom and prescriptive projects
  • Who: Consumers Energy business (all types) and municipal customers
Semco Energy Gas Company logo
  • Promotional Rate: 0.00% APR
  • Term: 12–36 months
  • Amount: $5,000–$25,000
  • What: Prescriptive and custom gas projects
  • Who: Small to medium-sized SEMCO commercial customers (including businesses and municipalities)

Michigan Saves welcomes a new commercial lender and more offerings!

With the addition of Inclusive Prosperity Capital, Inc. (IPC) to our network of authorized commercial lenders, our commercial energy financing options continue to expand! Thanks to this new partnership, multifamily housing, nonprofits, small to medium-sized businesses and government buildings can now finance a variety of energy improvement projects, including:

  • Solar arrays
  • Energy improvement analysis and design
  • Energy efficiency, renewable energy and health and safety remediation work

Here’s a snapshot of the exciting new offerings Michigan Saves commercial customers can take advantage of:

Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

Multifamily, small to medium-sized business, nonprofit and government customers can enter into a 20-year term solar PPA to add solar arrays over 50 kilowatts to their buildings.
Through IPC’s solar PPA, commercial customers can enjoy:

  • Saving money from day one with no installation costs or money down
  • Hedging against future price increases
  • Receiving tax exemptions with no tax liability
  • Exercising a future option to buy the solar system at fair market value

Navigator Pre-development Line of Credit

Multifamily properties and nonprofit customers interested in funding customized analysis and design of energy improvements can take advantage of a line of credit for eligible costs, including:

  • Energy benchmarking, opportunity assessments and auditing
  • Green capital needs assessments
  • Energy-related health and safety analyses
  • Design, engineering and bidding work
  • Costs to secure energy upgrade project financing
  • Other necessary expenses related to project design and funding

Fixed rates for nonprofits and income-eligible multifamily properties start at 2.38% APR with terms up to 24 months.

Catalyst Term Loan

This loan is designed for multifamily property owners and nonprofit customers interested in making energy efficiency, renewable energy and health and safety remediation improvements. Multifamily properties must serve low- and moderate-income residents.
Fixed-rate financing—with amounts up to $2 million and 20-year loan terms—is available with no prepayment penalty.

Want to make your commercial building more energy efficient? Find a Michigan Saves authorized contractor in your area—they’ll help you identify qualifying energy improvements and apply for financing!