The biggest savings in a boiler project is the fuel you stop burning. Replace an aging boiler with a high-efficiency Hurst, add a StackMaster economizer and O2 trim, and a plant typically cuts fuel use 12 to 20 percent, every year. On top of that, gas utilities across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware pay incentives toward the upgrade.
Most facility managers learn about those incentives after the project is finished, and by then it is usually too late. Nearly every program requires approval before the equipment is ordered. November is when 2027 capital budgets are being built, which makes it the right month to put the incentive money into the plan instead of discovering it afterward.
What actually earns the money
Four upgrades do most of the work. A high-efficiency Hurst boiler replaces an aging, low-efficiency unit. A StackMaster economizer recovers stack heat and adds another 3 to 5 percent. O2 trim and reset controls make the burner use only the air and fuel the load requires. On steam plants, a steam trap survey and replacement stops live steam from leaking into the condensate return.
The fuel savings come from the combination. The incentives are paid on the calculated savings and, in some programs, on the individual components.
Where the incentives are
In Pennsylvania, UGI Save Smart offers a commercial boiler incentive of $2,000 plus $2 per MBH, custom projects up to $100,000, and incentives for boiler reset controls. PGW EnergySense pays $400 for boiler reset controls, supports steam traps, and funds comprehensive projects up to $50,000. Columbia Gas and PECO offer commercial boiler and controls rebates.
In New Jersey, the NJ Clean Energy Program offers commercial and industrial incentives, both prescriptive and custom, based on therms saved. The Large Energy Users Program offers large custom incentives for boiler replacement, economizers, and steam traps, and some schools and hospitals have earned incentives in the seven figures. New Jersey is currently prioritizing electrification, so confirm gas boiler eligibility before counting on any number.
In Delaware, Energize Delaware and its EEIF program offer custom improvement rebates on calculated savings, plus prescriptive and assessment pathways. Low-interest commercial loans and C-PACE financing are also available to fund the project.
A worked example
A mid-size plant burns about 200,000 therms a year. A new high-efficiency Hurst with a StackMaster economizer and O2 trim cuts that roughly 15 percent, about 30,000 therms, or near $33,000 a year at today’s gas prices. On top of the fuel savings, the utility pays a one-time custom incentive on those saved therms, plus prescriptive rebates for the controls and steam traps.
That example is illustrative. Actual savings depend on the existing boiler, run hours, fuel price, and the plant.
The caveat that matters
Prescriptive boiler rebates generally require condensing or ENERGY STAR units. A firetube upgrade usually earns through custom calculated savings, the economizer, and the controls. Custom projects need an engineering calculation of the savings, and they need pre-approval. Treat the prescriptive amounts as a floor and the custom calculation as where the larger money is.
How to capture it
Apply and reserve funds before you install. Custom projects cannot be approved after the fact. Then install the Hurst upgrade, economizer, and controls. Finally, file the calculated savings. GP Energy helps with the sizing, the savings math, and the paperwork.
Programs, amounts, and eligibility vary by utility and territory and change without notice, and incentives cannot exceed project cost. Verify before you rely on a number.
For pumps serving the boiler plant, PECO and PPL also pay for variable speed drive and ECM pump upgrades. The Merion Pump Company team covers that in today’s article. Visit merionpump.com for more. For boiler feed systems and pump skids that support a boiler plant, FabPro Systems handles design and fabrication. Visit fabprosystems.com for more. For heating coils served by the boiler plant, HX Coils fabricates custom replacement coils. Visit hxcoils.com for more.
References
1. UGI Utilities. Save Smart business programs. Covers commercial boiler incentives, custom project incentives, and boiler reset controls. ugi.com
2. Philadelphia Gas Works. EnergySense commercial programs. Covers boiler reset controls, steam trap, and comprehensive project incentives. pgworks.com
3. NJ Clean Energy Program. Commercial and industrial programs including the Large Energy Users Program. Covers prescriptive and custom incentives on therms saved. njcleanenergy.com
4. US Department of Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office. Steam system tip sheets. Covers economizers, boiler combustion efficiency, and steam trap maintenance. energy.gov
