Milwaukee Energy Efficiency Program
Thomas Content, who covers the Energy industry for JSOnline, recently wrote an interesting article about the announcement of the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency Program, which is referred to as Me2.
Here’s how the program works. A homeowner can contact a Me2 Advocate, who will set up an energy evaluation for their home. The homeowner will be charged a fee, but it will be subsidized by the Me2 program. If the homeowner implements the top three suggestions from the energy evaluation, the cost of the evaluation can be rebated. The improvements must be made by a contractor that is approved by the Me2 program.
The Me2 program also helps homeowners take out loans to improve the energy efficiency of their home. The homeowner then uses the savings on their energy bills to pay off the loan. The goal of the program is to help 4,000 homeowners reduce their utility bills.
According to the Me2 website, the program is designed to help homeowners that fall into certain income groups. The Me2 website does not specify the income criteria that is necessary to participate in the program. However, if you do not meet the criteria you can also check the Focus on Energy website to learn more about other energy efficiency programs such as Targeted Home Performance with Energy Star.
If you are interested in learning more about the Me2 program, check out the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency program website.
Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Focus on Energy administers a program to give qualifying Wisconsin residents assistance with evaluating and implementing energy efficient projects. The program is called Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and is available to Wisconsin residents who meet certain income requirements based on 60% to 80% of the State Median Income. For example, a household of one person needs to have annual income between $23,435 and $31,246 to qualify. A household of four people needs to have annual income between $45,067 and $60,089.
Those who qualify can receive a free home energy evaluation. Depending upon the results of the evaluation, the homeowner may receive insulation, heating and cooling updates, energy saving devices (CFLs, water-saving showerheads, etc.), and/or ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. Homeowners might also have their air leaks sealed as well.
For complete information on the program, including income requirements and an application, visit the Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR webpage at FocusOnEnergy.com.
Also, if you or someone you know has participated in this program, please contact us. We would like to learn more about this program so we can share experiences and benefits with our readers.
Application Deadlines for the Wisconsin Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program
Focus On Energy has released an update for Wisconsin’s State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP). As we mentioned in last weeks energy post, funds are expected to run out by the end of this month. The cash-back rebates are available only while funds last and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
According to Focus on Energy, the end dates for the SEEARP Rewards are:
Clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers
- Appliances must be purchased by April 30, 2010
- Applications must be received by May 31, 2010
Solar Hot-Water Heaters
- Application forms must be received by April 30, 2010 for pre-approval.
Heating and Air Conditioning Equipment
- Installation must be completed by May 15, 2010
- Application forms must be received by June 15, 2010
On Wednesdays we highlight an energy savings tip to help Milwaukee area consumers reduce their utility bill. Follow this link to see all of our previous energy savings tips.
Wisconsin Appliance Rebate Program Update
Thomas Content from JSOnline recently reported that the Wisconsin State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program has used about half of the allocated funds in the first three months of the program. Focus on Energy expects that the funds will be exhausted by the end of April. If you were planning to purchase a qualifying appliance or redeem a rebate, you had better do it soon!
Focus on Energy maintains a calculator on their website to help you monitor the rebate funds remaining. For more information on the rebate program, see our previous post.
On Wednesdays we highlight an energy savings tip to help Milwaukee area consumers reduce their utility bill. Follow this link to see all of our previous energy savings tips.
2010 Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
Eric Barendsen from the U.S. Department of Energy wrote a great blog post yesterday reviewing some of the 2009 and 2010 tax credits available for energy efficient products. In a nutshell, a taxpayer can receive tax credits for 30% of the cost of eligible products, for a total tax credit of up to $1,500.
The tax credit is good for the 2010 tax year for consumers who purchase eligible biomass stoves, insulation, HVAC, roofing, non-solar water heaters, windows, and doors. Those who claimed the full $1,500 credit during the 2009 tax year are not eligible in 2010, as the $1,500 maximum credit is for the total period of 2009 and 2010.
There are also tax credits available through 2016 but they are on renewable energy products that most consumers aren’t likely to purchase this year: fuel cells, geothermal heat pumps, solar energy systems, and and wind energy systems.
Barendsen references this U.S. Department of Energy chart that details each product eligible for tax credits. Be sure to research the credits in detail before you get started on your project, and discuss the credits in advance with any contractors you use. Also, keep in mind these are simply incentives from the federal goverment. Incentives from the Wisconsin State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program and other Focus on Energy incentives can be combined with the federal incentives. If you don’t live in Wisconsin, you can search this U.S. Energy database for incentives from your local utility as well as your state and local government.
Every Wednesday we highlight an energy savings tip to help Milwaukee area consumers reduce their utility bill. See all of our previous energy savings tips here.
