About CPS Energy Community Innovation
Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation’s largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to more than 970,000 electric and 390,000 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties.
CPS Energy invests in energy innovation to help customers reduce costs, lower energy use, and enjoy more reliable comfort. Through the STEP Innovation Hub, we:
- Listen to our customers and hear their ideas
- Support our STEP goals to reduce community demand by 410 MW, achieve 1 percent energy savings per year, weatherize 16,000 homes, and contribute to 1.85 million tons of avoided carbon over five years through programs designed to reduce barriers to participation and help customers save energy and money
- Build stronger partnerships with local businesses, universities, and startups
- Ensure equitable access to new technologies across underserved communities
Together, your ideas and our energy savings pilot program will drive innovation, reduce costs, and build a stronger community.
How It Works
Ready
Initial screening with basic qualitative and quantitative inputs. This step ensures your project aligns with program priorities.
Review the scoring rubric criteria (PDF) to learn more about how projects are evaluated.
Set
More robust data gathering and project action plan. Applicants provide deeper information on performance, compliance, and energy savings potential.
Go
Field assessment and monitoring in homes, businesses, or facilities. Successful pilots may lead to rebates, incentives, or future adoption at scale.
Project Types
Energy Efficiency Technologies
Innovative technologies or practices not yet widely adopted — for example, advanced lighting systems or smart HVAC upgrades.
Residential Applications
Projects that reduce energy usage in homes, helping families lower bills while improving comfort.
Commercial and Industrial Applications
Solutions that reduce energy usage in larger facilities, like high-efficiency cooling or advanced building controls.
Customer Comfort and Reliability
Innovations that improve day-to-day affordability, reliability, or comfort, from backup storage systems to Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats.
Environmentally Friendly Solutions
Examples include ozone laundry, biodegradable descalers, or other sustainable products that minimize environmental impact.
Demand-Side Management and Grid-Supporting Technologies
Projects that strengthen the local grid, improve resilience, and lower demand during peak hours.
CPS Energy STEP Innovation Hub Eligibility
This program is open to:
- Innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups with new technologies
- Manufacturers, vendors, and contractors of energy-related products
- Universities, research institutions, and nonprofits with innovative practices
- CPS Energy customers (residential, commercial, and industrial) who want to offer sites for pilot testing
