Looking to replace your clothes washer, refrigerator or room air conditioner?
You may be eligible for a rebate through the State of California.
California consumers will soon be able to trade in their old refrigerators, clothes
washing machines, and room air conditioners for new energy efficient models as they
cash in on $35.2 million of federal stimulus rebates starting in April. The California
Cash for Appliances rebate program will offer cash incentives to consumers to improve
California's long-term energy efficiency goals.
"The California Cash for Appliances rebate program kicks off on April 22, 2010 -
Earth Day," said California Energy Commission Chairman Karen Douglas.
To help consumers prepare for the statewide rebate program, the California Cash
for Appliances website at
www.cash4appliances.org
explains the rebate program offering information such as what appliances are
eligible for rebates and the forms that consumers will fill out once the new efficient
appliance is purchased. The website also provides information on recycyling and
lists the partner retailers who have signed on to the program, including "Platinum
Partner" stores, which offer a full-service to consumers.
California residential consumers can get a $200 rebate for an eligible refrigerator,
$100 for an efficient clothes washer, and $50 for a certified room air conditioner.
These rebates may be combined with other rebates offered by manufacturers or retailers.
The California Cash for Appliances website will also provide consumers a link to
other rebates that are available and a list of partners including the Platinum retail
partners who will deliver the new appliances and recycle the old one at a California
certified recycler. Consumers are urged to look for appliances with the California
Cash for Appliances sticker at their favorite local retailer.
"Just as the Cash for Clunkers program took old gas-guzzling cars off the road,
the Cash for Appliances program recycles inefficient refrigerators, washers, and
room air conditioners with more efficient ones," said Chairman Douglas. "Homeowners
should notice the savings on their energy bills with their new appliances almost
immediately. Today a new ENERGY STAR® -qualified refrigerator, for example, will
use 50 percent less energy as ones made in the 1990s, and 80 percent less energy
than the ones made in the 1970s. That can translate to as much as $65 a year savings
on your electricity bill."
Consumers can only receive one rebate on each type of appliance, on a first-come,
first-served basis until the funds are depleted.
Funding for the program comes from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 (ARRA). California has been allocated $35.2 million in federal ARRA
funds to participate in the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP).
The California Energy Commission is administering the SEEARP that will provide rebates
to consumers for purchasing qualified home appliances during the rebate period.