ESG Quarterly Newsletter Q1 2026
Section 1: Rebates
Energy Smart Group (ESG) can evaluate your address to see what federal, state, and utility rebates your property qualifies for and obtain them on your behalf. By leveraging rebates, you can cut upfront investment thereby boosting your ROI. Let ESG do the homework for you, so you don't miss critical deadlines and opportunities.
Communities in Charge: $8,500 per Charging Port
It’s too late to obtain this rebate now with the deadline fast approaching on January 9th, 2026, but you can work with ESG to prepare for a potential reopening in the summer of 2026. Preparation is critical for this rebate which prioritizes applicants that have permits and engineering designs. Any of the entities shown in the picture below qualify if they are within 1/8th of a mile of a multi-family property containing 5+ units. Visit the Communities in Charge rebate page.
Southern California Edison Small Site Rebate: $10,000 per Charging Port
There is a cap of four charging ports under this rebate and the power cannot exceed 7.2kW, which is approximately 20-25 miles of range per hour. Despite the constraints, this rebate allows your site to be prequalified all year around without permits or engineering designs. The key is to find out if your property is located in a 'disadvantaged zone' because SCE prioritizes these applicants. ESG can quickly see if your site is a good candidate using our software. Visit the SCE rebate page.
LADWP Commercial Charging Rebate: $4,000 to $125,000 per Charging Port
Currently closed with the possibility of reopening around May of 2026. The application window for this rebate is notoriously short, so it is critical that you utilize ESG to pre-register and qualify your site beforehand. Do NOT wait to react to this rebate reopening because then it will be too late. Rebate amount depends on power dispensed by the charger and if the site is located in a disadvantaged zone. Visit the LADWP rebate page.
Pasadena Water & Power Commercial Rebate: $4,000 to $8,000 per Charging Port
A great rebate that your site can prequalify for year-around without permits or engineering designs. To qualify for the larger rebate your site must meet one of the criteria, such as installing a DC Fast Charger or being located in a disadvantaged zone. Visit the PWP rebate page.
Glendale Water & Power Commercial Rebate: 50% to 75% of Total Project Costs
One of the most attractive and obtainable rebates, especially for businesses trying to install a few level-2 charging stations. The 50% rebate is capped at $50,000 and the 75% rebate is capped at $75,000. Your site can prequalify for the rebate without permits or engineering designs year-around. Visit the GWP rebate page.
Burbank Water & Power Rebate: $4,000 to $20,000 per Charging Port Capped at $200,000
A low friction rebate similar to Glendale and Pasadena. The rebate amounts depends on the power dispensed from your charger, the type of property you own, and if the site requires infrastructure upgrades. The majority of EV charging installations do require infrastructure upgrades due to lack of panel or transformer capacity. Visit the BWP rebate page.
Section 2: Technology Updates
Attract & Serve More EV Drivers
North America’s largest EV Charging manufacturer, ChargePoint, recently made their Omni-Port technology a standard hardware feature. As a result, EV drivers now automatically receive the correct connector type when they pull up to a charging station; it doesn’t matter if they drive a Tesla or a Hyundai you are covered. Watch the youtube video below to see the technology in action.
Rip & Replace Special Offers
ChargePoint will be offering special deals in February 2026 for EV Station owners to rip & replace their current EV chargers. ChargePoint is offering a solution whether a customer wants greater charging speed, newer features, or is dissatisfied with their current provider.
Voice of the Customer Horror Story - "Not All Charging Solutions are Created Equal"
ESG has been noticing a growing trend of dissatisfied customers working with companies that drastically change software terms after installation, and require many manual updates using a computer and ethernet cord. The pitfall occurs when customers choose to work with software companies that white-label and slap their brand name on Chinese hardware. ESG can help you avoid these pitfalls because we prequalify and inspect all our partners that we install. Don't get hit with the hidden costs of dealing with underperforming solutions.
Section 3: Service Updates
Unlock a 2nd Revenue Stream & Receive Quarterly Checks
Many EV Station owners and prospective buyers have no idea that there is a 2nd revenue stream associated with EV Charging. EV Station owners are awarded ‘Carbon Credits’ by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and ESG can monetize those credits, so you are paid quarterly with no hassle. Don’t leave money on the table and learn more by watching our educational video below.
Maximize EV Charger Uptime With Local Professional Support
ESG will be expanding our services in 2026 to include preventative and reactive care for EV Charging stations in 2026. Customers will now get top tier support from a local agile provider and ChargePoint certified partner. Stay tuned for our next newsletter in Q2 and take advantage of the offering.
Section 4: ROI Webinar
Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Time: 11am (Pacific Time)
ESG will be comparing detailed ROI calculations for a typical hotel, multi-family and office properties. Understand what drives EV Charging project costs and operational profits. Receive a free calculator at the end of the webinar that you can tailor to your property.
Will you join us on February 17th? Sign up for the EV Charging ROI Webinar below.