Tax Rebates for Energy Star Appliances

Energy Star is a program developed by the US Department of Energy in 1992 to demonstrate the potential profit the United States could achieve in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.  The program creates labels to identify products that have better energy efficiency ratings.  Products that display the Energy Star symbol have been tested and found to meet or exceed high quality and energy efficient requirements.  Energy star appliances will save you money by using less electricity and less water than traditional appliances.  The Energy Star program has grown internationally to countries like, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan and the European Union.

Energy Star Appliances

Energy Star appliances include technologies that save 10% to 50% energy when compared to non-Energy Star labeled products.  There is a large list of different manufacturer brands of qualified appliances to select from.  Energy Star eligible appliances for your home include:

• Washers: Energy Star washers consume 30% less electricity and 50% less water than regular washers.
• Dishwashers:  Energy Star dishwasher consume 10% less electricity and 12% less water than a standard dishwasher
• Freezers: an Energy Star labeled freezer is 10% more energy efficient than a regular freezer
• Dehumidifiers: Energy Star dehumidifiers consume about 15% less energy than standard ones
• Refrigerators:  Energy Star refrigerators are 20% more energy efficient than standard refrigerators
• Air purifiers:  an energy star qualified air purifier can save you 40% in electricity costs when compared to the minimum standard purifiers

Tax Rebates

Unfortunately, the appliances listed above do not qualify for federal tax credits.  This still does not mean that you should not purchase them.  I highly recommend them since in addition to lowering your utility bills, Energy Star labeled appliances will last longer, are made of better quality, and perform better than non-labeled appliances.

You may not get a federal tax credit, but you may get state and local utility incentives for making energy efficient improvements to your home.  Utility companies like Pacific Gas & Electric have taken a very proactive approach at rewarding consumers who take on energy efficient initiatives.  For more information on utility incentives for energy efficient appliances, check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE).