NC Energy Start Program Underway, Rebates For Appliances

By: Noelle Kachinsky | WSPA-TV
Published: February 16, 2012

Raleigh, NC --

Consumers have another chance to save on the purchase of energy efficient major home appliances with the reopening of the N.C. ENERGY STAR® Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program starting Feb. 15. Consumers will not only save money on appliance purchases, but also cut energy costs by replacing older,
less-efficient models. Appliances must be purchased Jan. 1, 2012 or after
to qualify for rebates which will be based on funding to become available
through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Consumers may go online or call a special telephone number to start the application process to receive their rebate. The link to the N.C. ENERGY STAR
Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program can be found by clicking here.

Consumers without Internet access may call 1-855-208-6242. The application website and the telephone line will be activated after 10 a.m. on Wednesday Feb. 15.

North Carolina’s appliance replacement and rebate program has been one of the
nation’s most effective – distributing more than $10 million in rebates on the
purchase of over 75,000 energy efficient appliances. In addition, a
special appliance replacement grant program was instituted in September 2011 to
help victims of Hurricane Irene. The Hurricane Appliance Replacement
Program (HARP) provided more than $1 million in grants to assist in the
purchase of over 2800 appliances in 38 counties that were designated for
hurricane disaster relief.

Rebates will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and issued as funds become available. To be eligible for the rebate, consumers must be replacing
older appliances with a new ENERGY STAR appliance and must provide information required by the U.S. Department of Energy. That information will include name, address, telephone number and electricity provider. In addition,
people seeking rebates will need to provide the date the appliance was purchased,
product price, name and location of the retailer, the type of product, the
manufacturer and the model number.

Those applying online will receive a confirmation page which should be printed out, signed and mailed to the listed address, along with a copy of the sales receipt. That information must be sent within 15 days of applying for the rebate. Consumers applying for rebates by telephone will be mailed the confirmation sheet and must return it by the listed date.

Rebates will be sent in the form of a prepaid debit card that can be used toward purchases at stores that accept debit cards.

ENERGY STAR
Appliance Criteria & Rebates

Central
Air Conditioner

Split
SEER of 14.5 or more and EER of 12 or more

Single-package
SEER of 14 or more and EER of 11 or more

$300

Gas
Furnace

AFUE
90% or greater

$300

Heat
Pumps

Air-Source
split SEER of 14.5 or greater and EER of 12 or more

Air-Source
packaged SEER of 14 or greater and EER of 11 or more