North Carolina appliance retailers can sign up to participate in the state’s Energy Star Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program through a special Web site launched today. The program will offer North Carolina residents a 15 percent rebate when they buy certain Energy Star-rated appliances over a four-day period beginning on Earth Day in April.
A link to the special retailer Web site is available on the N.C. Energy Office’s Web site, www.energync.net. Retailers should look for the blue Energy Star Logo beside the words “Retailer Information Here.” Retailers will be able to find the necessary forms and procedures to participate.
The program, offered by the N.C. Energy Office and funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, allows consumers to replace older refrigerators, freezers, washing machines and dishwashers with similar new Energy Star-rated items that are purchased from April 22 through April 25.
The individual energy savings can be significant. For example, a new Energy Star-rated refrigerator uses half the electricity as the same-size refrigerator built before 1995.
By replacing older appliances with the 49,960 Energy Star items expected to be purchased during the program period , enough electricity will be saved to power 536 homes for a year. Natural gas savings would serve 390 homes for a year.
The Energy Office is working with Minnesota-based Helgeson Enterprises to get appliance rebates to consumers and assist retailers in processing the sales during the replacement and rebate program. The company is already providing similar assistance in Georgia, Iowa, Colorado, Alabama, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky and Nevada.
In addition to the site for retailers, Helgeson is also developing a Web site for consumers. Both will be linked from the N.C. Energy Office Web site (www.energync.net) and the N. C. Office of Economic Recovery & Investment Web site (www.NCRecovery.gov ).
North Carolina received $8.8 million through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to participate in the Energy Star Appliance Replacement and Rebate program. The distribution of the money for the program was based on state population.
The Energy Star Rebate program will be conducted in two phases. The first offers a 15 percent at-the-store rebate during the upcoming Earth Day weekend.
If funds remain available, the second phase, in June, will offer mail-in rebates on Energy Star-rated gas storage water heaters, tankless gas water heaters, central air conditioners, heat pumps and gas furnaces. The rebates will be as follows: 15 percent on refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers and dishwashers; water heaters (electric heat pump, gas storage, gas tankless, solar with gas or electric back-up), $200; central air conditioners, air source heat pumps and gas furnaces, $300. These rebates will be in addition to any rebates or discounts offered through retailers and utilities.