June 1, 2007
   
New ENERGY STAR® Rebates Lower Acquisition Costs Of AFE Equipment


For Further Information, Contact,
Lisa Hosey, Marketing Coordinator
AGA Foodservice Equipment
(856) 428-4200; l.hosey@victory-refrig.com

    End-users can now receive up to $1,000 back from utility companies and environmental protection groups when they purchase an AFE product.

    Aga Foodservice Equipment has built a name for itself as a provider of energy-efficient products to the foodservice industry. The company is a two-time winner of the ENERGY STAR Manufacturer Partner of the Year Award and has made reduced energy usage a pillar of its go-to-market strategy.

    Through a set of new rebates recently announced by the Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR program, many AFE products can now be owned by operators for far less than their purchase price. These rebates are offered by participating utilities and community/environmental organizations to operators in different U.S. regions who purchase energy-efficient equipment.

    According to Mark Whalen, president of Aga Foodservice Equipment and Victory Refrigeration, such rebates make the financial case for buying AFE's energy-efficient equipment even stronger.

    "We get objections sometimes because the acquisition costs of our products may be higher than those of our competitors," said Whalen. "But if operators factor in the rebates now available, we get close and, in many instances, are actually below our competition on acquisition costs. What's more, the value end-users get from our equipment is ongoing. Our products' operating costs are lower because of improved energy efficiency and every model purchased from AFE is backed by a standard two-year parts-and-labor warranty."

    The bulk of the newly announced rebates are being offered by utilities and conservation groups in the Pacific Northwest. For example:
  • Puget Sound Energy in Washington is offering rebates of $750 for ENERGY STAR-certified gas and electric steamers and $750 for ENERGY STAR-certified gas fryers. The company is also offering $125 to $200 rebates on solid door refrigerators and freezers that have earned Tier II certification from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), and $125 to $200 on glass door refrigerators and freezers certified by the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC). Visit www.pse.com, www.cee1.org and www.fishnick.com for more details.

  • The Cascade Water Alliance, an association of eight cities and water districts in the Puget Sound region, is offering $500 rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified steamers. For more information, go to www.cascadewater.org.

  • Seattle City Light is offering $750 rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified steamers and $125 to $200 rebates on CEE Tier II-certified solid door refrigerators and freezers. The utility requires pre-approval on rebates for steamers. Go to www.seattle.gov/light/ for more information.

  • Snohomish County Public Utility District in Washington will provide rebates of $125 to $200 on CEE Tier II-certified solid door refrigerators and freezers, and is considering expanding its rebate program to additional equipment. Visit www.snopud.com for details.

  • Tacoma Power is offering $125 to $200 rebates on CEE Tier II-certified solid door refrigerators and freezers. For more, go to www.tacomapower.com.

  • The Saving Water Partnership, a group of utilities that fund water-conservation programs in Seattle and King County, WA, is offering $750 rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified steamers. Visit www.savingwater.org for details and a list of participating water districts.

  • The Lott Alliance, a public waste water treatment partnership in Thurston County, WA, will rebate up to 50% of the cost of ENERGY STAR-certified steam cookers. Rebates must be pre-approved, and the final rebate amount will be calculated based on cost effectiveness and water-savings verification. For more information, go to www.lottonline.org.
    Outside the Pacific Northwest, the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Authority's member utilities are offering a number of rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified equipment. These rebates include $100 to $125 on commercial refrigerators and freezers, $150 to $300 on commercial fryers and $400 to $575 on commercial steamers.

    The 18 utility companies included in this offer are: Austin Utilities, Blooming Prairie Public Utilities, Fairmont Public Utilities, Grand Marais Public Utilities, Lake City Utilities, Litchfield Public Utilities, Mora Municipal Utilities, New Prague Utilities, North Branch Municipal Water and Light, Owatonna Public Utilities, Preston Public Utilities, Princeton Public Utilities, Redwood Falls Public Utilities; Rochester Public Utilities, Spring Valley Utilities, St. Peter Municipal Utilities, Waseca Utilities and Wells Public Utilities.

    Not all of these utilities are offering full rebates on all above-named equipment, so operators should contact their local Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Authority energy provider for more information. Terms and conditions may apply to these rebates, so operators should speak with the organizations offering them, as well as their local manufacturers' representatives for Eloma combi ovens, Infinity Fryers, Stellar Steam and Victory Refrigeration before proceeding.

    In a related development, AFE has announced that the six-pan, electric-powered model of Eloma's Genius combi ovens has been certified as eligible for the highest combi oven rebate by the Food Service Technology Center in California. The oven earned certification by registering an overall energy efficiency of 67.6% in tests conducted by the center.

    This $1,000 rebate is offered primarily by power companies in California, though energy providers throughout the nation are considering joining the rebate program, according to Mitch Cohen, vice president of cooking system sales for Eloma, Infinity Fryers and Stellar Steam.

    The newly certified Genius model joins all five gas-powered Eloma Genius combis, which earlier this year qualified for maximum rebates in FSTC tests. Those ovens are eligible for rebates of $750 from participating natural gas providers. For more information on the rebates, operators should contact their energy providers and local Eloma representatives.