There are three tiers of incentive programs for residents based on income that can cover all or part of the cost of improvements. There is also low-interest financing available.

All residents may be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $1,200 a year for insulation and other energy efficiency improvements. Learn more here.

Potential additional incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act will be available sometime in 2024 (see an IRA calculator from Rewiring America).

Tier I (“Low income”)

• EmPower+ (formerly EmPower) - If your family makes less than 60% of the State's median income ($65,820 for a family of four in 2022-2023), you may qualify for the EmPower+ program, which covers 100% of qualifying energy improvements like insulation, air sealing, replacement of inefficient lighting, fridges and freezers, and more up to $10,000. Some exceptions apply. EmPower+ also serves tier II (see next section). Apply online here.
• The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), a federal program, uses the same eligibility criteria as Empower NY (see above), and provides additional energy improvements at no cost. Find application resources here.

Both of these programs are available for homeowners as well as renters, though landlord permission is required. Contact a Community Energy Advisor with questions about applying.

Tier II (“Moderate income”)

EmPower+ (formerly Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®) - For homeowner households below 80% of area median income (in most counties, $87,760 for a family of four in 2022-2023). This covers 50% of eligible improvements up to $5,000. Some exceptions apply. Apply here.

(You can also download an application to print and mail here [pdf].)

Tier III (“Market rate”)

• Residential Energy Audit Program - learn more about what to expect from NYSERDA’s next generation, no-cost energy assessment program.

• Comfort Home - This new NYSERDA program provides rebates of $1,000 to $4,000 for air sealing and insulation packages, and additional rebates when installing heat pumps in combination as part of the package. It is currently available to all counties in the Southern Tier.

Municipal electric customers – special rebates available

Customers of municipal electric utilities may not be eligible for some of the NYSERDA programs above like EmPower+. However, many municipal electric utilities have special rebates and programs to help with energy efficiency through the Independent Energy Efficiency Program (IEEP). See what your municipal electric utility offers here.

Financing

In addition to the rebates mentioned above, there are a number of financing options to help pay for energy-related improvements. Contractors and our Community Energy Advisors can provide additional information on these options, but we provide an overview below.

On-bill recovery loan

This is a NYSERDA loan in which your loan payments are built right into your utility bill. With this loan, your monthly payments may not exceed your estimated average monthly energy cost savings. So your energy savings essentially pay for your work. Loan amounts of $1,500-$25,000 with terms of 5, 10, or 15 years. Rates are 3.49% for low-income households, 4.99% for households with moderate income, and 5.99% or 6.99% for everyone else. Learn more here.

Smart energy loan

This other NYSERDA loan is more traditional, with a monthly payment to NYSERDA's loan servicer. Amounts are from $1,500-$25,000 with terms of 5, 10, and 15 years. Rates range from 3.49% for lower income households who pay by auto payment to 7.49% for upper income households who pay by check. More info here.

Other financing options and local banks

Your contractor may be able to offer you other financing options. And you may also want to consider a loan through a local bank. Home equity loans can often be useful for energy-related improvements. Some banks even offer special loans for energy projects which you can take advantage of.

Learn how much you could get in rebates and incentives by telling us a little about your home.