Household Efficiency Technology
Washers, Dryers, Thermostats, and More
The appliances you use every day, like refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioners, and thermostats, consume energy and can be made more efficient. By using energy-efficient models, you can reduce energy consumption, lower your utility bills, and reduce your household greenhouse gas emissions.
Household Efficiency Technology
Heat Pumps & Heat Pump Water Heaters
Air-source heat pumps are systems that transfer heat from the outside air to heat or cool your home, offering an energy-efficient alternative to traditional fossil fuel reliant heating and cooling methods. Heat pump water heaters work similarly, transferring heat from the air to heat water for your home, providing an energy-efficient solution for water heating.
Household Efficiency Technology
Solar Panels
Home or business solar panels allow you to generate clean, renewable energy from the sun, reducing your reliance on the grid, lowering electricity bills, and decreasing your household greenhouse gas emissions. Solar panels are more accessible than ever before, keep scrolling to discover incentives that can help you get started.
New Bedford's Energy Office
Let the City Help You Go Energy Efficient
New Bedford Energy Now's mission is to bring the cost reductions and associated emission benefits of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and electricity supply directly to all our residents and small businesses within the city.
Since its inception, NBEN has served over 3,500 families and small businesses through its programs addressing energy efficiency and solar. The result of all this activity is that our residents have realized an aggregate annual savings of over $388,000. And the key driver to all this success has been the partnerships with local community groups and organizations that have made this program and the City a national leader.
Together, we are creating an equitable green economy, saving money and reducing our impact on the environment by participating in the NBEN programs of energy efficiency, solar energy and energy supply.
Massachusetts Incentives
Mass Save: Your One-Stop Shop for State Incentives
Mass Save represents the programs, services, offers and resources provided by Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Liberty, National Grid and Unitil in partnership with the state government with the goal of equitably saving Massachusetts residents, businesses and communities energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They report reducing 76 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and generating $31 billion in resident and business benefits. Mass Save has a varied library of energy efficiency incentives for residents to utilize, check them out:
Federal Incentives
Home Energy Audit
It's important to know how your home uses energy. Before making any efficiency upgrades consider an energy audit.
A home energy auditor will:
- analyze your utility bills to determine your energy consumption
- conduct interior, exterior, health, and safety inspections of your home
- assess your electrical system
- inspect appliances
- conduct a blower door test
When all this is done, they will provide you with your personalized energy report including suggestions for making your home more energy efficient.
The Inflation Reduction Act can get you up to $150 off the cost of your audit when you file your 2023 taxes. See page 107 of the Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook.
Incentive Type: Tax Credit
Incentive Amount: 30% of the cost paid by the consumer, up to $150
How to Access: Submit IRS Form 5695 when filing your taxes if you meet the requirements detailed on IRS.gov.
Federal Incentives
Appliances
The Inflation Reduction Act provides rebates that can cover up to 100% of the costs of new electric heat pump clothes dryers, electric stoves, cooktops, ranges, and ovens, depending on household eligibility.
Incentive Type: Tax Credit & Rebate
Incentive Amount: Varies based on the appliance. For a list of the incentives, review the Incentives for Homeowners page on Energy.gov.
Federal Incentives
Heat Pumps
A heat pump provides both heating and cooling for homes, as a super-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners. Installing a heat pump can save a family hundreds of dollars each year on energy bills. The Inflation Reduction Act includes tax credits and rebates that can cover up to 100% of the costs, depending on household eligibility.
Incentive Type: Tax Credit & Rebate
Incentive Amount: 30% of the cost paid by the consumer, up to $2,000/year, is available through a tax credit. Additional income-based incentives will be announced through the Home Energy Rebates program (for households below 150% area median income).
How to Access: For the tax credit, submit IRS Form 5695 when filing your taxes if you meet the requirements detailed on IRS.gov. Rebates are not yet available. Stay tuned as the Home Energy Rebates programs are deployed nationwide and administered through your State Energy Offices.
Federal Incentives
Heat Pump Water Heaters
Support is available to install heat pump water heaters, which can be two to three times more energy efficient than conventional water heaters. The Inflation Reduction Act includes tax credits and rebates that can cover up to 100% of the costs, depending on household eligibility.
Incentive Type: Tax Credit & Rebate
Incentive Amount: 30% of the cost paid by the consumer, up to $2,000/year, is available through a tax credit. Additional income-based incentives will be announced through the Home Energy Rebates program (for households below 150% area median income).
How to Access: For the tax credit, submit IRS Form 5695 when filing your taxes if you meet the requirements detailed on IRS.gov. Rebates are not yet available. Stay tuned as the Home Energy Rebates programs are deployed nationwide and administered through your State Energy Offices.
Federal Incentives
Solar Panels
The Inflation Reduction Act will help more Americans harness the sun’s energy to power their homes with clean electricity and save big on utility bills. Tax credits are available now to cover up to 30% of the installation costs – and this federal credit can be paired with additional incentives available in many states. The average family will save $300 per year, or $9,000 over the life of the system.
Incentive Type: Tax Credit
Incentive Amount: 30% of the cost paid by the consumer.
How to Access: Submit IRS Form 5695 when filing your taxes if you meet the requirements detailed on IRS.gov.
To find out about solar options for your home, visit Energy Sage with no strings attached and NO ANNOYING CALLS! Create an account on Energy Sage and contractors will submit quotes to the app. Energy Sage’s mission is to empower people everywhere to switch to affordable, reliable clean energy solutions with trusted resources, unbiased advice, and a simple shopping experience.
Federal Incentives
Weatherized Windows and Doors
Save on a range of home improvements that reduce energy leakage – keeping homes warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, and saving money on utility bills. Windows can be responsible for 25-30% of heating and cooling energy use, and doors can leak significant amounts of energy as well. In addition to supporting upgrades of exterior windows and doors, the Inflation Reduction Act can also cover the costs of home energy audits so that an inspector can identify the best improvement options.
Incentive Type: Tax Credit
Incentive Amount: 30% of the cost paid by the consumer, up to $600/year
How to Access: Submit IRS Form 5695 when filing your taxes if you meet the requirements detailed on IRS.gov.
Actions You Can Take
Take Action and Save!
Here are some more resources to help you weatherize your home, install solar panels, and more!