3 Utility Incentives for Getting Smart with Your Thermostat

Without question, the best way to reduce or eliminate your electric bill is with solar. And with our hotter months right around the corner, getting that solar project started before schedules fill up is a wise idea.

But if you’re not quite ready to plunge into solar and want to dip your toes in the refreshing waters of energy management, APS, SRP, and TEP offer incentive programs for adding smart thermostats to your home.

Smart thermostats allow homeowners to build more sophisticated usage schedules that align with modern rate plans. Because they’re internet-connected, users can communicate and monitor these devices from virtually anywhere via smartphone. More importantly, smart thermostats can learn energy usage over time and automatically adjust heating and cooling for greater comfort, maximum savings, or an ideal combination. Smart thermostats can also give utilities greater visibility to when and how people use grid power, allowing them to optimize power delivery.

With such a win-win scenario, it’s no wonder that most Arizona power utilities offer incentives for installing a smart thermostat. Let’s take a closer look at a few.

APS – Two Options to Save

APS currently has two incentive programs for customers who install a smart thermostat. Both programs offer a bill credit for installing an approved smart thermostat. The first program goes one step further and combines the purchase credit with an annual credit for ongoing participation. 

1. APS Cool Rewards Program

When you enroll in the APS Cool Rewards program, you receive a $50 enrollment bill credit for each thermostat you register and a $25 annual participation bill credit per thermostat. As a participant, APS will have access to your thermostat, and they will automatically adjust your temperature by up to 3 degrees during Cool Rewards events, which can occur during on-peak hours when energy usage is very high between June 1 and September 30. APS states there will never be more than 20 Cool Rewards events per summer, each lasting up to two hours. Learn more about the APS Cool Rewards Program here.

2. APS Smart Thermostat Rebate

This straightforward incentive offers customers a $30 bill credit for purchasing and installing a smart thermostat from APS’ approved thermostat list. Credit amounts are limited to one thermostat per AC system or up to five systems per home. Learn more about the APS Smart Thermostat Rebate here.

SRP BYOT Program

SRP’s Bring Your Thermostat program offers participating customers a $75 bill credit per smart thermostat up to two (caps at $150) and a $25 bill credit for each year you’re enrolled. As a participant, SRP will have access to your internet-connected thermostat, and they will automatically adjust the temperature by a “few” degrees during what they identify as a “conservation event” when the strain on the grid is at its highest. Learn more about SRP’s BYOT program here.

TEP Nest Thermostat Rebate

Tucson Electric Power is getting behind Google’s Nest as their smart thermostat. TEP customers can receive a $35 bill credit for installing a Nest thermostat. No more than two thermostats per account are eligible. Learn more about TEP's rebate here. 

Didn’t you see your AZ utility listed above? We probably just left it out for the sake of length. Take a minute and Google smart thermostat incentives in your district. You may be surprised by what you find!

Solar might be a good option if you're looking for more ways to get involved with and lower your energy usage. We invite you to download our free whitepaper, Is Solar Right for You?, to learn the determining factors in deciding if solar is right for your situation.