Residential Energy Programs

Double Rebate Funds Remaining as of:

09/02/2010

$205,000

Rebates on Energy Star appliances and Heat Pumps, Natural Gas Appliances and Solar Water Heaters have been doubled in a limited time program beginning May 27, 2010.

Your Own Utilities has many e+ energy-saving programs designed to help you save money as well protect our environment. We also offer income-based programs which include rental units and owner-occupied mobile homes.

Find out more by calling Your Own Utilities at 891.4YOU (4968) or by making a request online.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

Ceiling Insulation 80% Grant

Keep your home's air cool by adding ceiling insulation in your attic to slow down the heat from coming in. We've improved the program with higher insulation target levels: R38 if you heat with a natural gas furnace, oil furnace or electric heat pump; R49 if you heat with a central electric resistance furnace. This program pays 80% of installation costs up to a maximum City contribution of $400. The ceiling insulation grant is available to City of Tallahassee Electric Customers only. The first step for this grant is to schedule a Free Energy Audit Online or by calling 891.4YOU (4968).

ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate- Existing and New Homes
Rebates on ENERGY STAR Appliances Have Been Doubled in a Limited Time Program. The LISTED REBATES are the doubled amounts.

ENERGY STAR rebates are available to City of Tallahassee Electric Customers only.

If you have a question about eligibility, please call Utility Customer Service at
891.4YOU (4968) and then press 4.

ENERGY STAR Qualified Freezers	$80 Rebate*
ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerators	$150 Rebate*
ENERGY STAR Qualified Clothes Washers	$200 Rebate*

*ENERGY STAR Qualified Appliance Rebates will appear as a credit on your Utility Bill

ENERGY STAR Clothes Washers -- $200 Rebate*

Use about 40% less energy than standard washers and 55% less water.
- Available in two designs that save water and energy: Front-load & Redesigned top-load
Have no central agitator!
- Front-loaders tumble clothes through a small amount of water instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator in a full tub.
- Advanced top-loaders use sophisticated wash systems to flip or spin clothes through a reduced stream of water.
- Both designs greatly reduce the gallons of hot water used in the wash cycle, and the energy used to heat it.
Have high spin speeds.
- Efficient motors spin clothes 2-3 times faster during spin cycles to extract more water.
- Less moisture remaining after the final spin cycle means less time and energy in the dryer.

ENERGY STAR Refrigerators -- $150 Rebate*

Use high efficiency compressors, improved insulation and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms to improve energy efficiency.
Use at 15% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less energy that the conventional models sold in 2001.
Many models include automatic ice-maker and through-the-door ice dispensers. Qualified models are also available with top, bottom, and side-by-side freezers.

ENERGY STAR Freezers -- $80 Rebate*

Use at least 10% less energy than required by current federal standards.
Available in three configurations:
- upright freezers with automatic defrost
- upright freezers with manual defrost
- chest freezer with manual defrost only

Energy Efficient AC and Heat Pump Rebate - Existing and New Homes

Rebates have been doubled in a limited time program. The listed rebates are the doubled amounts.

Energy Star rebates are available to City of Tallahassee Electric Customers only.

As much as half or more of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. With smart purchase rebates for selecting higher efficiency central air conditioners and heat pumps.

If you have a question about eligibility, please call Utility Customer Service at
891.4YOU (4968) and then press 4.

Central Air Conditioner - $200 or $700 Rebate

$200 rebate for high efficiency AC equipment rated Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) 14 and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) 12 or higher
Compared to a new SEER 13 unit, a SEER 14 air conditioner should reduce cooling costs by 7%.
$700 rebate for ENERGY STAR qualified equipment rated SEER 15 and EER 12.5 or higher
Compared to a new SEER 13 unit, a SEER 15 air conditioner should reduce cooling costs by 13%.
Compared to an old SEER 10 unit (typical efficiency throughout the 90's) a SEER 15 air conditioner should reduce cooling costs by 33%.

Central Heat Pump - $200 or $700 Rebate

$200 rebate for high efficiency heat pump equipment rated SEER 14 and EER 12 and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) 8.2 or higher
Compared to a new SEER 13/HSPF 7.7 unit, a SEER 14/HSPF 8.5 heat pump should reduce cooling costs by 7% and reduce heating costs by 9%.
$700 rebate for ENERGY STAR qualified equipment rated SEER 15 and EER 12.5 and HSPF 8.2 or higher.
Compared to a new SEER 13/HSPF 7.7 unit, a SEER 15/HSPF 8.5 heat pump should reduce cooling costs by 13% and reduce heating costs by 9%.
Compared to an old SEER 10/HSPF 6.8 unit (typical throughout the 90's) a SEER 15/HSPF 8.2 heat pump should reduce cooling costs by 33%, and reduce heating costs by 20%.

Water Source Heat Pump - $1500 Rebate

$1500 rebate for high efficiency heat pump equipment rated EER 14.1 and COP 3.3 (closed loop); or EER 16.2 & COP 3.6 (open loop)

Heat Pump Water Heater - $1200 Rebate

ENERGY STAR Certified
Applicable only if replacing an electric water heater.
To calculate Federal Tax Credit, rebate must be subtracted prior to determining the applicable amount for your tax credit.

Rebate for ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes and Renovations

An ENERGY STAR qualified new home performs better for the homeowner and the environment thanks to a variety of energy-efficient features. Home buyers enjoy better performance, greater comfort, and lower utility bills.

Rebate Form for ENERGY STAR Certified New or Renovated Homes (PDF)

$1/square foot up to $2,000 incentive for ENERGY STAR qualified new homes.
Qualifying housing types include single-family detached, single-family attached, low-rise multifamily, and existing-home renovations.
To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are a least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the current Florida Building Code, and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
The qualifying home's HERS Index is certified to the statewide database maintained by the Florida Solar Energy Center.
Effective March 1, 2009, coincident with change to the Florida Building Code:
- For residential units with a Building Permit dated 3/1/09 or later, or with a Certificate of Occupancy dated 9/1/09 or later, award of the $1 per square foot rebate requires a confirmed HERS Index of 70 or less. An exception to this: If natural gas is used for water heating and for central space heating, the HERS Index qualifying for rebates is 77 or less. Call Your Own Utilities at 891.4YOU (4968) if you need more information or clarification.

For homebuilders, achieving ENERGY STAR is a major rung on the ladder toward Green Building certification under nationally recognized programs like Florida Green Building Coalition or LEED For Homes. ENERGY STAR qualification for new homes involves eight elements:

The homebuilder signs a Memorandum of Understanding EPA as an ENERGY STAR partner.
The home must achieve a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index of 77 or less, confirmed by an independent HERS Rater.
The home must meet the ENERGY STAR home tightness standard as measured by a whole-house blower door test.
The home must meet the ENERGY STAR duct tightness standard as measured by blower test.
The home must pass a mid-construction "thermal bypass test" tightness against for air leakage and heat transfer.
Other ENERGY STAR standards and / or requirements address: a) HVAC sizing, b) window efficiency specifications, and c) appliance efficiency specification.
If installing an electric heat pump, an "Adaptive Recovery" thermostat must be installed. This type of thermostat moderates the usage of supplemental electric strip heating.
For purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification, the HERS Index must be calculated in accordance with guidelines that limit applicable point-values of compact fluorescent lamps and backup electric generators.

HVAC Duct System Repair Grant

Available to City of Tallahassee Electric customers until Dec. 31, 2010.

Save energy and money by taking advantage of a new grant to fix duct leaks in your home. The City will pay 50 percent of the repair cost (up to $250) for each duct system (maximum 3 systems per residence). For income-based qualified customers, the City will cover 100 percent of the repair cost (up to $500 per system)

To begin the process, call 891.4YOU (4968) and schedule a free home energy audit. The City auditor will determine whether the home needs duct repair or replacement and make recommendations. You may choose among a list of participating contractors who are pre-qualified to perform the work. Upon satisfactory completion of the work, the contractor invoices the City for its share and you pay the remainder. This new program has been designed as a 6-month pilot to evaluate its success and make improvements.

For more information, download the Overview and Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).

$900 Solar Domestic Water Heating Rebate

Rebates have been doubled in a limited time program. The listed rebates are the doubled amounts.

Rebates are available to City of Tallahassee Electric Customers only.

This program promotes clean, green solar technology. On a south-facing rooftop with good sun exposure, a solar water heater provides about 70 percent of a family's hot water needs. Local installed costs are around $5,000 for a freeze-protected system that can withstand Tallahassee's winter low temperatures. Low interest loans are available in addition to rebates. These rebates are not available for pool heating systems.

Solar Water Heater Double Rebate for New and Existing Homes (PDF)

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