ATHOL – Local business owners are encouraged to attend the Small Business Energy Efficiency & Electrification Workshop which takes place at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Athol Public Library.

The event is meant to highlight the benefits of the Mass Save program, a collaborative of Massachusetts’ natural gas and electrical utilities. It is run in cooperation with the state Department of Energy Resources.

Thursday’s meeting, funded through Athol’s Mass Save Community Education Grant Program, is being facilitated by Crystal Hamlin of Energy Source, the local National Grid Small Business vendor.

“As a homeowner, you contact Mass Save and basically, they work with the vendor of your choice to provide an assessment and make recommendations on how to save and efficiently use energy,” Planning and Development Director Eric Smith told a recent meeting of the Town Energy Committee. “Here, small business people work with Energy Source; it’s like a commercial version of Mass Save.

In addition to receiving some cost-saving tips, business owners will be able to schedule a no-cost energy assessment for their company. The forum also has the endorsement of Athol’s Decarbonization Task Force. Benefits of participation include ways to increase energy efficiency, lowering costs and reducing the carbon footprint of individual business. There will also be a discussion on energy rebates and other financial incentives, such as loans and financing for electric vehicles, appliances, solar electricity and other items.

Any business owner interested in attending should RSVP to Alyssa Moore, fiscal manager of grants and contracts in Athol’s Planning Department. Send responses to amoore@townofathol.org.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.