As a Con Edison Clean Heat Contractor, Brightcore is excited to announce that geothermal incentives have recently increased substantially for both new construction and existing building retrofit projects. For existing building projects, the base incentive has doubled and is currently at the highest level seen in the program to date.

Why would Con Edison do this? Heating and cooling systems account for the majority of energy use and carbon emissions in New York buildings. The Con Edison Clean Heat Program was created to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuel-based heating systems.

As an alternative to fossil fuel-based systems, geothermal uses the stable temperature of the ground to provide highly efficient heating and cooling.

For commercial, institutional, and multifamily building owners, the Con Edison Clean Heat Program can significantly reduce the upfront cost of installing geothermal systems.

With incentives now at historically high levels, building owners planning major HVAC upgrades should evaluate whether geothermal is a viable option for their properties. Brightcore Energy is a Con Edison‑approved participating contractor, making it easy for building owners to access incentives and streamline project delivery.

ConEd Clean Heat Incentive Amount Update

Ground-source heat pumps (the heat pump technology behind geothermal) incentives have recently increased substantially for both new construction and retrofit projects:

• New construction: Starting at $175/MMBTU saved, with higher incentive tiers available for envelope improvements 
• Retrofits: Starting at $400/MMBTU saved, the highest incentive level seen in the program to date

Save Even More on a Geothermal Project Through Additional Incentives

Clean Heat can be utilized alongside other incentives offered federally and statewide. Below are some of the programs that can be stacked on top of Clean Heat to unlock even more savings throughout the project lifecycle:

Con Edison Thermal Conductivity Test Incentive

A major barrier to geothermal adoption has historically been the cost of early-stage testing. Brightcore Energy worked directly with Con Edison to help create a solution.

The Thermal Conductivity Test (TCT) Incentive offsets:

• 50% of eligible testing costs (up to a maximum of $40,000 per project)

NYSERDA FlexTech Incentive

NYSERDA’s FlexTech program provides 50% of the cost for early-stage clean heat and cooling studies. This is a great way to complete a more detailed technical and financial analysis of your geothermal opportunity, and understand the potential savings, costs, and implementation approach.

Brightcore is a registered NYSERDA FlexTech Consultant and can support both study development and the NYSERDA application process, helping building owners access engineering-level analysis of geothermal feasibility and concept design and half the cost.

Learn more about NYSERDA’s FlexTech program.

Federal Investment Tax Credit (Even Eligible for Tax Exempt Entities!)

The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) can cover up to 40% of eligible geothermal project costs. This incentive is also available to nonprofit and tax-exempt institutions through Direct Pay. Brightcore works with clients and qualified tax advisors to help structure projects to maximize eligible costs and support the ITC claiming process.

Learn More

With incentives at record highs, now is the ideal time to explore a geothermal project for your building. Let’s talk about what’s possible for your facility.