Cashing In On Energy Rebates
Many rebate programs are in place for both commercial and residential consumers of energy, as well as those who purchase equipment which is powered by utilities. Most of these rebates are incentives by Uncle Sam put in place to help stem the tide of the increasing demands on US energy stores from emerging and developing technologies. Basically, you are rewarded if you purchase energy-efficient housewares and equipment built with an eye on helping the energy needs of future generations. Your reward comes in either cash or deductions as a “thank you” for minimizing the toll our current energy usage may have on our future societies.
I’m sure you have seen the blue Energy Star logo on different appliances, windows and other home improvement products. That is the international standard which has been accepted and is used to rate how energy-efficient a product is. Covering appliances and building materials found in the average home, this rating system is even found on such small items as consumer electronics. Very strict requirements need to be met before government money finds its way into your pocketbook, but once you know what to do, they are actually easy to quantify, and laid out in a very easy to understand manner.
Home renovation and building materials are two of the areas which are most significantly impacted by Energy Star ratings, because they have the longest lasting effects on fuel use over time. For instance, when hot air rises in your home, your roof can either efficiently keep your house warm, or inefficiently lose that heat and drive up your cooling costs. And to be honest, even those roofing materials used in days gone by which are still present in older homes are adequate and do a decent job. But almost every home can be improved through the use of quality insulation, and a second layer of energy efficiency can be found in the technological improvements made in windows in recent years. New construction building codes require that all windows be manufactured with Low-E glass these days, and those looking to maximize the savings in their utility bills can also use this energy-stingy technology in older home renovations.
Low-E glass used in renovations automatically qualifies you for a rebate, as it is much more long-lasting and delivers many years of energy savings. Add an energy-efficient heating system or boiler, and you exponentially multiply your savings, as well as your rebate options. And the initial financial outlay is repaid quickly through energy savings and rebates, as significant improvements have been made in the past 10 years due to the Energy Star rating system.
Obviously, your home’s central heating and air system is probably the area where the greatest amount of savings, both energy and cash, can occur. Often times what you perceive as an efficiently working system may simply be clogged with soot. And a quick cleaning of your old heating and cooling system will definitely improve things, but that doesn’t make your system as efficient as the new technologies allow. Certainly, your individual circumstances will dictate whether the financial investment makes sense for you, but in any case, Uncle Sam’s money is a nice bonus.
Aside from heating and cooling, your refrigerator probably pulls more electricity than any other single device in your home. When Amory Lovins first revealed his low-energy–consumption solutions for the modern kitchen, thoughts immediately turned to its application as regards the power-sucking refrigerator. And while recent Energy Star refrigerators certainly have not achieved Lovins’ standards, they’re significantly more efficient than past models, and the increased cost is more than offset by the rebates and fuel savings you will enjoy.
Thus far we have been referring to residential applications, but the commercial sector has not been overlooked by the federal government as far as energy rebates are concerned. And because of the increased level of consumption for businesses and other commercial applications, the utility companies themselves have even joined the rebate movement. Especially in the information technology arena, where massive amounts of energy are needed for data processing, and cooling the rooms where power-hungry servers are kept, energy use is at a premium. And as we move further and further towards a more computer-driven way of life, rewarding efficient behavior in these areas is paramount.
Lest you think you do not qualify, there are plenty of rebate options out there for both the residential and commercial energy consumer. Understanding why the government is happy to reward energy-stingy behavior is the first step in changing your behavior to take advantage of these money-saving moves. And you can also go online and check out the sites owned by your local energy companies. They no doubt will have a section dedicated exclusively to rebates and deductions. Just remember that, whether you are building from the ground up or refurbishing an older home or business, Uncle Sam will reward you for making the Energy Star move.