AEP OHIO SOLUTION PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT

Incentives Program Opens Energy Efficiency Opportunities

Educating Customers Means Reducing Operating Costs

Industry All Commercial, Industrial and Non-Profit Sectors Measures practiced Lighting Motors & Pumps Variable Frequency Drives Total applications submitted: 55 Total incentives submitted $417,055.00 Total energy savings 4,819,970 kWh Program Type Custom Prescriptive Self-Direct

Project Summary As its name suggests, The Energy Solution Group is a provider of energy saving solutions. It deals in lighting, day lighting, and Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) for motors, pumps, fans; supporting all types of systems and technologies that make a customer more energy efficient. The company takes a business-focused approach, treating each solution as a business decision that needs to make sense to the customers Operations Team, as well as their CFO. With 20+ years in business, The Energy Solution Group has seen changes in energy savings trends, an increased interest in all things green, and its share of up-anddown economies. They have adapted to these changes to provide the highest quality solution at the best economic advantage for their customers. The introduction of the AEP Ohio Business Incentives program opened up a new world of opportunities. In February 2010, The Energy Solution Group had a lone sales person A little over a year later there are over 15 employees with a national reach.

Although headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, they currently have customers in many states, including California, Washington, North Carolina, Iowa, Vermont, Alabama, and many others. The fact that utilities are being mandated by the Ohio legislature to enforce energy efficiency programs has legitimized the idea of incentives to our customers. Otherwise, they wouldnt believe it, said Andrew Barnett, account manager for The Energy Solution Group. The AEP Ohio incentives allow us to close deals we would not have closed. Our sales have increased approximately 25 percent because of this program. The predominant reason most energy efficiency projects go forward is because customers want to reduce operating costs. The incentives from AEP Ohio are helping push customers to act now, instead of waiting; especially because there is a daily cost associated with waiting. The Energy Solution Group prides itself on identifying this cost reduction opportunity to potential customers. The Energy Solutions Group looks

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for customers with multiple locations in areas that offer utility incentive programs for maximizing efficiency and delivering low cost solutions. The primary obstacle to initiating a project is as expected capital. Raising the required capital may be difficult, but with incentives to off-set some of the cost and utility bill savings, the payback period can be greatly reduced.
The T8 fluorescent lamps in this recycling center create a brighter work environment while saving energy.

a lease-to-buy program to assist customers with the capital burden The AEP Ohio Business Incentives program has expanded and improved since we began using it, added Barnett. That has helped overcome many of the objections weve encountered. The Energy Solution Group is conservative in its energy savings estimates, so most customers are surprised when they see their electric bills decreasing more than expected. Maintenance savings, better lighting quality, and improved working environments while sometimes hard to quantify, are a few of the indirect benefit to many projects. Distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, office buildings, healthcare facilities, retail, parking lots/garages, and schools are prime opportunities for the company. Future Plans The Energy Solution Group has plans for continued growth as more states continue adopting energy efficiency goals. They have mastered the art of discovering customer needs and delivering a solution that meets or exceeds those needs. When customers interested in energy efficiency dont know where to begin, The Energy Solution Group is capable of walking them through the entire process.

Contact Information Thomas D. Anderson Founder/CEO cell (614) 419-0040 direct (614) 423-6758 office (800) 580-4432 ext. 302 fax (800) 658-1421 937 Burrell Avenue Columbus, OH 43212

We are seeing many projects with a payback of less than three years many better than that. It makes so much financial sense to move forward with these opportunities. The challenge is getting the opportunity to audit a facility, which we do at no cost to our customers, to determine the financial math behind the solution, said Tom Anderson, CEO of the Energy Solutions Group. Many companies know they want to do something green, but they dont know how to do it or where to get help. That is what The Energy Solution provides. Despite this, there are many who are unaware of the opportunity that The Energy Solution Group brings to its customers. You would be amazed by how many people still do not know about the (AEP Ohio Business Incentives) program. There are contractors we come across that arent utilizing it as part of their business, added Anderson. To further combat this obstacle, The Energy Solutions Group offers

About AEP Ohios energy efficiency programs for businesses

AEP Ohios gridSMART initiative provides incentives to help business customers purchase and install energy efficient equipment. Prescriptive incentives are available for common commercial and industrial measures including lighting, HVAC, motors and drives, refrigeration and food preparation and storage equipment. Custom incentives are available for process improvements and other measures not covered through prescriptive incentives. For more information, visit gridSMARTOhio.com or call 1-877-607-0739.

gridSMARTOhio.com 877-607-0739

Disclaimer: AEP Ohio does not guarantee the energy savings and does not make any warranties associated with the measures eligible for incentives under this program.