Energy Incentive Programs: Information Dump

Last month, I was asked to speak before a Toledo Rotary Club group, and the topic I chose was energy-saving incentive programs.  Ask stated a million times on this blog, to find out how to get or save cash, simply figure out what the government wants people to do.  And they want us to save energy in a big way.  So here's the handout I gave the Rotarians:

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiencies -- www.dsireusa.org. A nationwide listing of state and local energy reduction incentives.

Home Weatherization -- http://www.nhstoledo.org/weatherization-services/ Tune-up, repair and insulation for homeowners within 200% of poverty level in Lucas County.  Community action agencies administer this throughout the state.

Ecolink.  Ohio State Treasurer’s Office -- http://ohiotreasurer.gov/ecolink.  A linked deposit program that can lower a homeowner’s cost of borrowing for energy improvements by 3%.

ReEnergize Ohio-- http://ohiotreasurer.gov/ReEnergizeOhio. A linked deposit program that can reduce a business owner’s cost of borrowing for energy improvements by 3%.

Energy Loan Fund.  Ohio Development Services Agency -- http://development.ohio.gov/bs/bs_energyloanfund.htm.  An Ohio state fund for lower-cost energy loans for business.  Must create energy savings of at least 15%, in Ohio-based businesses of less than 150 employees.

First Energy’s Residential Rebates -- https://www.firstenergycorp.com/content/customer/save_energy/save_energy_ohio.html.  Rebates available for turning in older, less energy efficient appliances from First Energy of Ohio.

Nationwide List of Energy Rebates -- http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=rebate.rebate_locator.

Rural Energy for America Program -- http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_Reap.html. Grants and loans for the development of biomass and renewable energy projects in rural areas.

Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency -- http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index.

Better Building Program:

For businesses -- http://www.toledoportauthority.org/Programs/BetterBuildingsNWO.aspx.

For homeowners -- https://www.columbiagasohio.com/residential/save-energy-money!/home-performance-solutions. 

Notice that many of these--but not all--are local and state.  Also, many are for business.  They include (mostly) plans for cheaper loans, or tax incentives, rather than outright giveaways, and some have been mentioned before in other entries on energy efficiency.  

But there are some worth pointing out--the Rural Energy for America Program, which gives grants and loans for biomass and renewable energy programs across rural America, and the nationwide list of energy rebates. There's also www.dsireusa.org, which has state and federal tax incentives.  Not all of them have been phased out by the feds, and some can still be cashed in on.  For nationwide information and local partners to the Better Buildings Initative, see more here.