As of March 1, 14 states began offering rebates for consumers purchasing energy-efficient appliances—for example, up to $500 back for refrigerators in Iowa. Next month, 23 more states step up with energy-efficient stimulus packages of their own.
All of the rebate programs are funded by the federal stimulus package, but each state’s program works differently. The Christian Science Monitor writes that some rebate programs have been so successful that they’ve already come and gone:
Kansas, for example, ran out of its federal funding in 10 days after it offered open enrollment to low-income households Jan. 19. The rebates were hefty: $200 for an Energy Star window air-conditioner to $800 for an Energy Star clothes washer.
“That program was extremely successful,” Catherine Couch, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Housing Resources Corp. in Topeka, which serves as the state housing agency. “There’s a tremendous need among families for help to reduce their monthly energy costs.”
Takeaway: It’s best not to hesitate if you’re hoping to cash in with a rebate. Get up to speed with the specifics of your local rebate program at Department of Energy’s state-by-state list.
