What incentives and rebates are available to me?
The state of Massachusetts provides numerous incentives and rebates for air source heat pumps. All cost calculations made on the WePowr website incorporate the most up-to-date information on available financial incentives.
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center: Clean Heating and Cooling Program
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) provides rebates for ASHPs through its Clean Heating and Cooling program. Beyond meeting the performance requirements of the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), systems eligible for the rebate must notably be able to provide 100% of rated heating capacity at 5°F. That is, eligible systems must be able to guarantee strong cold climate performance. While MassCEC rebate supports both ductless and ducted systems by several manufacturers, currently no ducted systems meet the specifications.
| System Type | Single-Head Ductless System | Central or Multi-Head Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Rebate | $750 per system | $750 per 12,000 BTU/hr (max. heating capacity at 5°F) |
| Rebate Limit | 5 system maximum | 60,000 BTU/hr maximum |
To be eligible for the rebate, homeowners must either be electric customers of National Grid, Eversource, Unitil, or an eligible municipal lighting plant (Ashburnham, Holden, Holyoke, Russell, Templeton) or use electric resistance heat. Eligible homeowners must also have received a home energy audit within the last two years or have one scheduled within six months of their ASHP installation (free energy audits are available through Mass Save here to eligible customers).
If you are eligible for the rebate, installers working with WePowr will always install an ASHP eligible for the MassCEC rebate and help you to obtain your rebate unless a particular ineligible system is a perfect fit for your home. Many of them may also be certified to conduct a free Mass Save energy audits on your home.
The average rebate received by Massachusetts homeowners in the first half of 2015 was approx. $1,200 (i.e. most homeowners had either one or two units installed).
More information about what systems are eligible and how the rebate is awarded is available here. Additional information about MassCEC ASHP program is available here.
Mass Save: COOL SMART Program
Mass Save provides rebates for ductless mini-split ASHPs through its COOL SMART Ductless Mini-Split Rebate Program. While the system requirements are generally less restrictive than those of MassCEC, the Mass Save rebate is only available to electric customers of the following utilities: National Grid, Eversource, Unitil, and Cape Light Compact. Larger rebates are available for more efficient systems.
| Rebate Amount | SEER | EER | HSPF | Utility Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $150 | ≥18 | N/A | ≥9 | National Grid |
| $250 | ≥18 | N/A | ≥9 | Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Unitil |
| $300 | ≥20 | N/A | ≥11 | National Grid |
| $500 | ≥20 | N/A | ≥11 | Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Unitil |
More information on rebate eligibility requirements can be found here.
Mass Save: HEAT Loan Program
Mass Save provides 0% interest loans of up to $25,000 with terms of up to 7 years for various renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements, including air source heat pumps. You may be eligible for a HEAT Loan if you are an electric customer of National Grid, Eversource, Cape Light Compact, or Unitil, or if you are a gas customer of Liberty Utilities or Columbia Gas. Learn more about how to apply for heat loan program financing here.