Small business may be a hard-to-reach but not impossible-to-reach market
Despite their importance, small businesses have often been underserved by utility energy efficiency programs. According to EnergySavvy, small-to-medium commercial and industrial utility customers are the “forgotten middle.” They represent 90% of US businesses and consume about 20% of US energy, but they attract less than 4% of utility energy efficiency spending.
Utility program managers have long considered small commercial customers difficult to reach because of participation barriers faced by small business owners, such as lack of staff, time, money, and awareness of program offerings as well as energy efficiency benefits in general.
One-size-fits-all approaches remain important, but only go so far
Most small business energy efficiency programs have tried to overcome these barriers using two primary strategies. First, they provide efficient lighting measures that have wide applicability and relatively quick paybacks. Linear fluorescent and LED lamps, fixtures, and controls deliver highly cost-effective savings to almost every type of small, non-residential utility customer. Second, utilities make participation easier for customers by providing direct installation of qualified measures and high rebates or even free installation. The simple, convenient offerings save the business owner money right away.
Source- ACEEE, 21 November 2016-How to create big opportunities to save energy for small businesses