Written by Susan Henry, Entergy New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans residents face a pressing challenge – our hot, humid climate demands energy-intensive cooling, and the city’s aging buildings contribute to energy waste.
This combination leads to higher utility bills, placing a significant financial burden on households and businesses. Effective energy efficiency programs can help address these challenges. Moreover, as we face more extreme and frequent weather events, these programs contribute to climate resilience by decreasing energy consumption and reducing the City’s carbon footprint.
In 2010, in response to the city’s energy burdens, Entergy New Orleans, in collaboration with the New Orleans City Council, launched the Energy Smart program. This comprehensive initiative encourages residents and businesses to save energy and reduce costs by offering cash incentives and free energy assessments. Since its inception, Energy Smart has awarded $61.4 million in incentives, benefiting over 135,000 homes and businesses while saving the city a staggering 500 million kilowatt-hours of power. With the potential for up to 100% cost coverage on qualifying projects, Energy Smart empowers customers to make energy-saving upgrades that contribute to a more sustainable city.
Photo Credit: Entergy New Orleans
“Our team works with residents, business owners, facility managers and trade ally contractors to identify opportunities and provide cash incentives for completing eligible upgrades with measurable, verifiable energy savings,” said Derek Mills, manager of demand side management at Entergy New Orleans. “We recognize that helping customers reduce their energy at home or at their business is good customer service, while also helping us
reduce the stress on the grid and our carbon footprint.
For residential customers, Energy Smart provides essential services like free home energy assessments and instant rebates for upgrades that improve energy efficiency and comfort. Home weatherization and HVAC system treatments offer maximized savings to eligible residents, while initiatives such as the Peak Time Rebate and EasyCool programs reward participants for reducing energy use during periods of high demand.
Energy Smart also extends its support to businesses, offering free assessments through the Small Business Energy Assessment program. Eligible businesses can also receive financial incentives that cover up to 100% of the cost of energy efficiency upgrades through the Energy Smart Fund. In 2025, Energy Smart has $5.6M available to businesses for energy efficiency upgrades. To date, local businesses have claimed nearly $2.6 million in funds.
Partnerships with local organizations and trade allies are vital to the success of Energy Smart.
Thrive NOLA, an Energy Smart partner, performs community outreach throughout the five City Council Districts, encouraging customers to participate in the energy-saving offerings. Thrive NOLA is immersed in the community and represents Energy Smart at fairs, festivals and neighborhood association meetings. Energy Smart also has trade allies in the energy sector that provide energy-saving solutions that help optimize energy usage and savings in residences and businesses.
Through the Energy Smart program, Entergy New Orleans is making significant progress toward a greener, more energy-efficient future for the city. These initiatives provide economic benefits to residents and businesses and foster a sustainable environment.
Entergy New Orleans, LLC provides electricity to approximately 208,000 customers and natural gas to approximately 109,000 customers in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Entergy New Orleans is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy New Orleans, visit the Newsroom and connect with @EntergyNOLA on social media.
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