LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced today that more than $30 million in rebates and incentives are available this year to business customers for qualifying energy-efficiency projects.  The announcement was made at SoCalGas' annual Business Expo in Pomona, Calif., where over 300 business representatives learned how they could save energy and money through the utility's programs and latest green technologies.   

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Six local businesses also were recognized by SoCalGas for their outstanding efforts in energy efficiency and conservation. Because of their efforts, these businesses have reduced emissions and saved more than 2,531,588 therms of natural gas, the equivalent of taking 3,500 cars off the road.  

"These businesses have proven that using natural gas efficiently means getting more for less," said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. "We make every effort to help our customers plan for a sustainable future by providing services and incentives that can positively affect their bottom line."

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. in Carson was one of the six to receive an Energy-Efficiency Excellence Award at the Expo.  The award recognized Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for installing a waste heat recovery system at their facility, saving the company an estimated 1,117,955 therms per year in energy. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. qualified for SoCalGas' Energy Efficiency Calculated Incentive Program and received an incentive for $543,432 for their energy efficiency efforts. "The incentives we obtained from SoCalGas went a long way to help us improve our productivity," said Chris McWilliams, area manager for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. "We encourage other businesses to do the same and take advantage of the many programs and rebates that are available."

Another Energy-Efficiency Excellence Award went to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., for their pursuit of advancing energy efficiency solutions in their daily operations.  For some time now, Huntington Memorial Hospital has been achieving a reduction in energy costs by operating steam powered absorption chillers as part of their cooling equipment.  To achieve further reduction in their energy costs, the hospital upgraded to direct digital controls, installed pipe insulation, and added new heat exchanger controls to improve their facility's operating efficiency. "These new energy efficiency improvements are saving us over 578,000 therms per year in energy," said Thomas Romeyn, director of plant services at Huntington Memorial Hospital. "SoCalGas was critical in helping us achieve our clean energy goals. Because of our energy-efficiency upgrades, we qualified to receive an incentive check for $315,266 from the utility." 

Other award recipients included the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Califia Farms LP in Bakersfield, Cate School in Carpenteria, and Archer Daniels Midland in Colton.

SoCalGas' incentives cover many types of natural gas equipment, as well as energy saving projects. The incentive payouts are based on the amount of natural gas saved, and they often reach several thousands of dollars per project.  

In addition to the announcement of Energy-Efficiency Excellence Award recipients, the Expo featured workshops for local business owners who want to save money by using green technologies and strategies. Participants learned how to identify, evaluate and select the technologies that best fit their financial goals while reducing waste and improving energy efficiency. Case studies and details were provided on: photovoltaic systems, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction/recycling. There were also exhibitors and vendors showcasing the latest energy-saving tools for those in attendance.

Business owners and representatives had an opportunity to learn about SoCalGas' On-Bill Financing program, which provides qualified energy-efficiency projects with interest-free loans for up to $100,000.  They also learned how the utility can identify process improvements that can help save energy, lower operating costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  In addition to the variety of assessment tools to help business customers identify convenient energy efficiency improvements, rebates are available for more than 100 pieces of qualifying energy-efficient equipment, such as steam traps, insulation, boilers, water heaters, and a variety of foodservice equipment.

For more information, business owners and representatives can visit SoCalGas' website at socalgas.com/energyefficiency.

About Southern California Gas Co.

Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for 145 years.  It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 20.9 million consumers connected through nearly 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities.  The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.  SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).

SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.