Beat the Heat with Tennessee's Energy Star Appliance Rebate Program

 

Nashville, TN (2011-07-25) Temperatures are heating up quickly and as Tennessee residents turn up the air conditioning, the Department of Economic and Community Development wants to remind Tennesseans about rebates that are available for qualifying Energy Star cooling and heating appliances. Applications for the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP) are available online at www.e-rebates.org/teearp or by phone at 1-877-741-4304 on a first-come, first-served basis.

            “Temperatures are reaching record-breaking highs, and we know Tennesseans are repairing and upgrading their air conditioners to combat the heat,” said Molly Cripps, ECD energy division. “Energy Star heating and cooling units can decrease utility usage, resulting in lower bills and a win-win situation for our environment and our residents.”

            Eligible appliances include air source heat pumps, central air conditioners, gas furnaces and room air conditioners with the Energy Star designation. A rebate of $250 is available for the air source heat pumps and central air conditioners, a rebate of $150 is available for gas furnaces, and a rebate of $40 is available for room air conditioners. Purchases made on or after April 22, 2010 are eligible for the rebate.

            To qualify for the program, consumers must complete the following steps in applying for a rebate:

 

  1. Visit www.e-rebates.org/teearp to begin the online rebate application process. Consumers who do not have access to the Internet should call 1-877-741-4304, and an application will be mailed.
  2. On the website identify the qualifying appliance at the top of the page and click “Proceed” to begin an application.
  3. Complete the application in its entirety, and then print, sign and date.
  4. All completed and signed applications, whether started online or not, must be mailed along with (a) a sales receipt or invoice that shows the date of purchase, cost, and equipment make and model and (b) a copy of a recent electric utility bill for the installation address to one of the following addresses.

 

For rebates on air source heat pumps, central air conditioners or gas furnaces, mail the signed, completed application and supporting documents to:

CSG Incentive Processing

TN Appliance Rebate Program

P.O. Box 290189

Nashville, TN 37229-0189

 

For rebates on room air conditioners, mail the signed, completed application and supporting documents to:

EFI Incentive Processing

TN Appliance Rebate Program

Room AC Application

P.O. Box 1248

Westborough, MA 01581-1248

 

Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by the application’s postmarked date. Rebates will be distributed as a prepaid Citibank® MasterCard® and will take approximately 6-8 weeks to receive. Only one rebate per household will be accepted.

            All rebates are processed by Conservation Services Group (CSG), a third-party rebate administrator selected by the state of Tennessee after a competitive bid process. Questions about the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program should be directed to CSG at 1-877-741-4304.

            The state of Tennessee partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to reduce administrative and processing costs, as well as to help market and promote the Rebate Program. Additionally, consumers receiving rebates under the state’s program may be eligible for further financial assistance through TVA’s existing residential efficiency programs. Visit www.energyright.com for details.

            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.