What is the rebate program?
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new ENERGY STAR appliance rebate
program, to be administered by state energy offices. $300 million in funding from
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be made available to 50 states and
six U.S. territories to promote the purchase of energy efficient appliances.
Under this program, consumers may receive rebates as incentives to purchase new
ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances. The amount of each rebate will vary from state
to state. Some states may choose to put all of their allotted money into related
energy programs such as conservation education. The end goal for all programs is
to get energy inefficient appliances off of the power grid. New product sales, when
applicable, will also benefit local economies.
When will the rebate program launch?
Details of the new ENERGY STAR appliance rebate program are still being sorted out
as state and territory officials prepare to submit their individual program plans
to the Department of Energy (DOE).
Currently, the initial 10% of funding has been awarded to all states. Final applications
are due from the states by October 15, and the DOE plans to have all the money released
by November 30. Expect most states to launch their ENERGY STAR rebate programs between
late 2009 and Earth Day 2010.
For the latest updates on the ENERGY STAR appliance rebate program, follow Bosch
on Twitter
@BoschAppliances.
How will the $300 million be divided?
$300 million was based upon a gross estimate of the US population, with each state
and territory being awarded roughly $1 per resident. For example, California will
receive more than $30 million and New York will receive more than $18 million. The
smallest territory award will be awarded $100,000.
It is expected that 10 to 25 percent of the monies awarded will be spent on administrative
costs to run each program.
What is the goal of the rebate program?
The ENERGY STAR rebate program's discounts will apply to ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances,
as part of the federal government's ongoing effort to increase energy efficiency.
Will all appliances qualify for the rebate?
Details of the rebate program are still being finalized and qualifying appliances
will vary by state. What we do know is that the rebate program will encourage the
purchase of efficient ENERGY STAR qualified appliances.
There are many ENERGY STAR qualified appliances available to consumers in a variety
of categories including clothes washers, dishwashers and refrigerators. Every single
Bosch dishwasher, refrigerator and clothes washer model is ENERGY STAR rated, so
we anticipate that most, if not all, of these appliances will qualify for rebates.
Other categories featuring ENERGY STAR appliances include Heating, Ventilation and
Air Conditioning (HVAC) and water heaters. For a complete list of ENERGY STAR qualified
appliances in all categories, visit
www.energystar.gov
When and how can I apply for the rebate?
Details of the new ENERGY STAR appliance rebate program are still being sorted out
by officials, but we expect most states to launch ENERGY STAR rebate programs starting
late 2009 through early 2010. Program guidelines and timing for rebate funds will
vary by state.
To search rebate programs currently available to you, visit the Bosch rebate finder
at
www.boschappliancerebates.com
How long will the rebate programs last?
The program will continue as long as states have money to support it. While the
rebate funds must be used by February 2012, it is likely that the money will be
used much sooner.
Prior to being awarded all the rebate funds, states must indicate how they will
notify consumers when the money is about to run out.
How will the rebate program be administered?
Some states may offer the rebate at the point of purchase—when consumers are actually
purchasing the appliances. Other states may require consumers to mail in a paper
form to request a check. There may be other ways, too, since each state will set
up its own processing system.
More information about the ENERGY STAR appliance rebate program will be available
from your state's
energy
office.
How much money can I receive from the new appliance rebate?
Rebate amounts will vary from state to state, but the program is expected to offer
rebates of $50 to $200.
Will all of the states have a rebate program?
All 50 U.S. states and six additional territories have submitted applications indicating
they intend to submit proposals for state rebate programs and we fully expect all
states and territories to participate in the program.
It is estimated that 25 states already have an existing rebate program infrastructure.
For the rest of the states and territories, this will be an entirely new program
for their residents.
Will I be able to claim federal tax credits and other financial incentives for the
same appliances?
Yes, federal tax credits and other financial incentives may be claimed for the same
products, as long as they qualify under the rules of the programs and are not specifically
excluded.
It is expected that the "piggybacking" of all available rebates and incentives from
the Federal government, state government, local utilities, retailers and manufacturers
will be the tipping point to convince Americans that there has never been a better
time to replace an old, inefficient appliance.
Are any rebate offers available now?
While the new ENERGY STAR appliance rebate is currently being finalized, there are
many rebate offers available to consumers now. For instance, Bosch is currently
offering up to $300 in rebates with the purchase of
Linea refrigeration and up to $150 off any slide-in or
freestanding range package.
To keep you posted on up to the minute rebates on all Bosch products, Bosch has
an online rebate finder:
www.boschappliancerebates.com
Do I need to trade-in my old appliance?
Details of the rebate program are still being finalized and requirements may vary
by state. However, even in states where there is no buyback program, consumers are
encouraged to recycle in order to keep a tremendous amount of reusable steel, plastic
and dangerous fluorocarbons, out of landfills.
There are many programs currently offered by utility and state agencies across the
country that pay consumers to recycle their old appliances. Contact your utility
provider to see what programs may be available to you.
What is ENERGY STAR?
ENERGY STAR labels appear on appliances and home electronics that meet strict energy
efficiency criteria established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
How much energy can I save with an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance?
New ENERGY STAR appliances save significantly more energy than those manufactured
years ago. For example, replacing a clothes washer made before 2000 with a new ENERGY
STAR model can save up to $135 per year. Replacing a refrigerator made before 1993
with a new ENERGY STAR model can save up to $65 per year.
How will the new rebate program help the environment?
Replacing old appliances with new, efficient ones means less energy – and in some
cases, water – is required to operate them.
Engineered to be the most efficient dishwasher sold in North America, the Bosch
800 Plus uses as low as two gallons of water per cycle, 70 percent less than the
average dishwasher, and operates on only 180 kWh/year, an industry best. The 800
Plus dishwasher requires less resources to operate, which helps consumers to save
on utility bills while reducing their environmental impact.
How can one ENERGY STAR qualified appliances make a difference?
ENERGY STAR clothes washers save more than 7,000 gallons of water a year. Over the
11-year life of the washer, that's enough water to:
- Provide a lifetime of drinking water for six people
- Fill three backyard swimming pools
- Run an ENERGY STAR dishwasher over 15,000 times (or every day for 42 years)
- Take over 3,000 showers
- Water your lawn 770 times
- Wash your car 760 times
How much money can I save with a Bosch ENERGY STAR qualified appliance?
ENERGY STAR-qualified Vision clothes washers save $50 per year. Over the 11-year
life of the washer, that's enough money to:
- Buy a new ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher Bosch Ascenta dishwasher
- Buy 65 bottles of laundry detergent (or enough detergent to do laundry for four
years)
A fridge made before 1993 could be costing you over $100 each year to operate. Replace
it with a new ENERGY STAR-qualified Linea model and cut your related energy costs
in half.
What are CEE ratings? Will they factor into the rebate program?
The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) is a nonprofit organization that among
other initiatives publishes a list of super-efficient home appliances. The list
is divided into three tiers – tier 1, 2 and 3 (with tier 3 being the most efficient).
It remains to be seen whether any states or territories include CEE ratings as part
of their rebate criteria. Regardless, Bosch is proud to manufacture several appliance
models that qualify for CEE's highest tier.
How can I support the appliance rebate program?
Most states are seeking input from their constituents. To give your input, contact
your state representative or visit your state's website.
Additional resources on the web