Upgrade clean water pumps cost effectively with these rebates

Frequent drought conditions, water requirements and the need for steady water flow to maintain crops have made it more important than ever for California agriculture businesses to use water more efficiently. Water pumping continues to be one of the most energy-consuming operations. Whether you are a dairy or livestock farm, a greenhouse, a winery or in crop production, higher efficiency water pumps can help address these challenges, and also help reduce energy costs.

Don’t settle for an inefficient pump. Take advantage of these newly available rebates to upgrade your clean water pump cost effectively and start saving energy and money.

The Agriculture Energy Savings Action Plan (AESAP), a PG&E energy efficiency program implemented and managed by TRC Companies, is now offering rebates up to $20 per pump motor horsepower to make clean water pumps more affordable. AESAP makes rebate process simple. There’s no pre-approval process to wait for. You purchase the equipment, make sure it complies with all requirements (TRC can help), and submit your application with a paid invoice. TRC will verify the installation, send your paperwork back to you for final signature, and issue your rebate check within 1-2 months upon application submission.

Clean water pump rebates are applicable for only those that are intended for agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors with a nominal horsepower rating of ≤250 and meet the pump energy index (PEI) requirements specified. In addition, the PEI should be confirmed on the Hydraulic Institute (HI) database (https://er.pumps.org/ratings/search). Review all other requirements on page 4 of AESAP rebate catalog.

Upgrading your water pump with a more energy-efficient model will help you maintain your crops throughout the year, improve your bottom line and even help with water conservation during California’s drought.

How to identify your pump efficiency

Advanced Pumping Efficiency Program, managed through the Center for Irrigation Technology at Fresno State, offers pump efficiency tests measuring various aspects of the pump’s operation. These tests provide helpful information to perform an objective economic analysis about retrofitting and repairing if you are in doubt. Regular tests are recommended to ensure your water pump is functioning efficiently.  

Energy savings with variable frequency drives

Adding a variable frequency drive (VFD) to your irrigation pumps may enable you to reduce your irrigation system’s operating pressure, thus reducing energy consumed by pumps. Adding a VFD also enables you to vary the flow of water as needed for your irrigation schedules, while providing additional benefits such as soft start capability and enhanced performance of equipment. Rebates are available for VFD upgrades.

We’re here to help

PG&E offers many other resources for agriculture customers.

To identify the best solutions for your business, let our dedicated Agriculture Energy Advisors walk you through the available technologies, tools and rebates by calling our Agriculture Customer Service Center at 1-877-3276 or emailing us at smallbusinessresources@pge.com.