Dept. of Economic & Community Development
Matthew Kisber, Commissioner
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
ENERGY STAR APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM
“Appliances consume a huge amount of our electricity, so there’s enormous potential to both save
energy and save families money every month,” said U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “These rebates will help families
make the transition to more efficient appliances, making purchases that will directly stimulate the
economy and create jobs.”
ARRA AMOUNTS
U.S. – $296,000,000
Tennessee/ECD – $5,963,000
IN THIS SECTION
Overview
Tennessee Funds
FAQs
Key Events
Contact
This project provides federal support for state-level rebate programs for consumer purchases of new ENERGY STAR® qualified home
appliances. Each state or territory is required to submit a plan that
specifies which ENERGY STAR® appliance categories will be included in their rebate program, the
rebate level for each product type, how the rebates will be processed, and their plan for recycling old
appliances. States and territories filed an initial application expressing their intent to participate
by August 15, 2009, followed by a full application by October 15, 2009. Approximately 10-25 percent
of each award will be spent on administrative costs. Click here for program FAQs.
Tennessee will receive $5,963,000 in ARRA funds to establish the State Energy and Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP). Eligible appliances will include air source heat pumps, central air conditioners and room air conditioners with the Energy Star® designation. A rebate of $250 will be available for the air source heat pumps and central air conditioners, while room air conditioners will be eligible for a $40 rebate. The target date for the launch of the program is Earth Day, April 22, 2010. More details on how consumers can take advantage of the rebates will be available in the coming months.
Statewide, the estimated energy savings for delivery and installation of qualified heating and cooling products is approximately 16 million kilowatt hours per year. A reduction in energy use of that size translates to a yearly savings of almost $1.4 million in energy costs for Tennesseans and reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by 32 million pounds annually.
The state of Tennessee plans to partner with the Tennessee Valley Authority on the program to reduce administrative and processing costs, as well as to help market and promote SEEARP. The collaboration will allow the state of Tennessee to focus the majority of the ARRA funding on consumer rebates. Consumers receiving rebates under the state’s program may also be eligible for additional financial assistance through TVA’s existing residential efficiency programs.
What is the Energy Star® appliance rebate program?
The U.S. Department of Energy announced in July 2009 that $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would be made available to states and territories to promote the purchase of Energy Star® qualified appliances. Energy Star® is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on Energy Star® visit www.energystar.gov.
Tennessee’s Energy Star® program is called the State Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP), and the state will receive $5.9 million for rebates and administrative costs.
What appliances will qualify for rebates under SEEARP?
Three types of Energy Star® appliances will be eligible for rebates:
(1) Air source heat pumps,
(2) Central air conditioners, and
(3) Room air conditioners.
What will the rebate amount be for these appliances?
A rebate of $250 will be available for air source heat pumps and central air conditioners. Consumers purchasing room air conditioners will be eligible for a $40 rebate. Many of the TVA-served utility companies offer additional rebates for air source heat pumps and central air conditioners. Contact your local utility company for more information on other money-saving opportunities and visit http://www.energyright.com/index.htm.
When will the rebate program begin?
Tennessee plans to begin SEEARP on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.
Why is the program starting in April 2010?
Tennessee adequate time to issue a request-for-proposal to administer the rebates and also to time the launch of the program with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, which will build strong awareness of the program statewide. A 2010 launch also puts Tennesseeon the same time frame asa majority of statesin the first wave of approvals.
Will a citizen be eligible to receive a rebate retroactively?
No. Only qualifying Energy Star® heating and cooling units that are purchased on or after the official start of the program will be eligible. There will be no retroactive rebates for appliances purchased prior to the launch.
What determines eligibility?
Appliance rebates will be available to Tennessee citizens only. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate eligibility via a valid Tennessee driver’s license, for instance. It is also important to note that the program is intended to replace older, inefficient appliances.
How will citizens be informed of how to apply for a rebate?
More details on how consumers can take advantage of the rebates will be available in the coming months. The State of Tennessee, TVA and other stakeholders are planning many venues for the marketing and outreach of the appliance rebate program in the coming months. Web sites, public service announcements, vendors and retailers will be able to provide information on how to apply for a rebate. For the latest updates on Tennessee’s program visit http://tnecd.gov/recovery/energystar.html.
Why won’t rebates be offered for other appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines, etc.?
By selecting Energy Star® air source heat pumps, central air conditioners and room air conditioners, the state will be able to provide greater energy savings to consumers and significantly reduce peak energy demands. These heating and cooling units are expected to save 16 million kilowatt hours of energy, $1.4 million in energy costs and 32 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
In designing the rebates DOE directed states to leverage or augment existing programs if at all possible. Since the state did not have a rebate program already in place, it will partner with TVA. With this collaboration, Tennesseans may be eligible for even greater savings through TVA’s current residential efficiency programs. TVA’s involvement will also reduce administrative costs and allow the state to provide more rebates to consumers.
How do I find out more about Energy Star® heating and cooling products?
Information about heat pumps and central air conditioners can be found at www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac. Information about room air conditioners can be found at www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_room_ac. These sites are sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Finally, reputable retailers and contractors generally are helpful in providing good information on costs, performance and savings.
What if I have other questions that aren’t answered here?
Please contact the Department of Economic and Community Development’s Energy Policy Office at (615) 741-2994 or (800) 342-1340 or ecd.energypolicy@tn.gov.
December 2, 2009 - DOE approves Tennessee's ENERGY STAR appliance rebate plan. Click here to read the press release.
October 15, 2009 - Tennessee submitted plan to DOE.
August 15, 2009 - Tennessee files its initial intent to participate in the program.
July 14, 2009 - DOE issues funding announcement and press release on the ENERGY STAR® Appliance Rebate Program.
For more information contact the State of Tennessee Energy Policy Office at (800) 342-1340 or (615) 741-2994. For more information on the ENERGY STAR® program, please click here.
