Food Service Money-Back Solutions

Each year, the food service industry spends $10 billion on energy. Up to 80 percent of that energy is wasted by inefficient equipment, heating ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting and refrigeration. From 2006 through 2008, PG&E paid more than $11 million in energy efficiency incentives to restaurants, resulting in an annual energy savings of more than 153 million kilowatt-hours and 144,000 therms.

Find Rebates Fast: The Money Back Tool

Need a quick way to find food service-related savings? Use the Money Back Tool to instantly see a list of rebates, and how much you could be saving.

Ready to Apply Now?

Apply online >>
Download a rebate application >> (PDF, 9.7 MB)

Save More Over Time: Incentives

Businesses can save even more with incentives*: payments that you can receive for using energy-efficient products in new projects. When you’re eligible for an incentive, PG&E will work with you to create a customized energy-efficiency plan that includes technical advice, onsite energy audits and more.

Here's how it works:

Contact us to see if you're eligible:
Talk with your PG&E account manager
Call the Business Customer Service Center at 1-877-341-4743
Schedule a site visit with PG&E.
Discuss an Energy Audit.
Develop your project with PG&E's wide range of resources and services.

*To be eligible for an incentive, businesses must submit a complete application form and receive PG&E approval before making any purchases.

Site Surveys

Get a Site Survey Report from PG&E

To learn how your business can save energy and money, have PG&E conduct a site survey. After collecting data on how your facilities use energy, PG&E will create a customized report detailing energy-efficiency measures and the related rebates and incentives available.

To start a site survey, call your PG&E Account Manager or the PG&E Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743.

Conduct Your Own Site Survey

Our Self Site Survey Checklist (PDF, 2.6 MB) can help you conduct your own energy assessment. You can also calculate the energy savings for your food service equipment with our life-cycle cost calculators for ovens, fryers, griddles, ice machines, refrigeration and other appliances.

Tips and Training

Food Service Technology Center

The PG&E Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), operated under contract to PG&E by Fisher-Nickel, Inc., can conduct a site survey and create a customized report detailing the ways you can save energy and the rebates and incentives available to your restaurant or cafeteria.

The Food Service Technology Center (FSTC) also compiles unbiased, comprehensive information about energy use and efficiency in kitchen equipment. Operated under contract to PG&E, the center provides an array of resources and services to the industry, including:

Kitchen equipment test reports, which enable customers to compare the performance of cooking and food preparation equipment.
Design consultation services, which help business owners design and specify equipment for their food service operations for maximum efficiency.
On-site facility surveys, which yields a list of recommended actions to cut energy use and costs.
Educational seminars that cover all aspects of energy performance in commercial kitchens.
Equipment testing services to determine the energy and performance characteristics of food service equipment.

To learn more about the services available to you from the Food Service Technology Center, visit the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), or call the center at 1-800-398-3782. To schedule a site survey, contact your PG&E representative or call the Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743.

See upcoming seminars.

Pacific Energy Center (PEC)

Want to learn more about energy efficiency or find out what other industry professionals are doing to be more green? Sign up for energy efficiency training. Most classes and services are free for PG&E customers and for those who serve them.

Shedding Load During Demand Response Events

Turn off non-essential indoor/outdoor lighting, signage, window displays and office equipment not in use (i.e., printers, copiers, shredders, coffee makers).
Turn off decorative features, such as fountains, lighting and ambient audio and video displays.
Pre-cooling work areas, then cycle constant air volume heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units or temporarily resetting static pressure in variable air volume HVAC, turning off ceiling fans and room fans, and raising temperature settings.
Establish load cycling, temperature resetting, or pre-cooling in a facility with package AC units.
Shut doors and windows to pre-cool, then turning off air conditioning during an event.
Turn off beverage vending machines and shifting the use of icemakers to before or after an event.
Conduct meetings during events to minimize use of equipment.
Charge batteries and battery-operated equipment prior to an event, then unplug battery chargers and use only pre-charged equipment during an event.
Adjust employee schedules and shifts so that times of increased production or energy use occur before or after planned events.
Turn off excess cash registers and computers.
Perform housekeeping-related tasks before or after an event.