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As the southern Willamette Valley slogs through another extreme heat watch, residents may wonder how they can cool their homes without breaking the bank.
If you live in Lane County, there’s a good chance your utility provider will offer you a loan or rebate to install a heat pump.
Here’s what to know about incentives that may help homeowners pay for air conditioning.
Why do utilities offer air conditioning rebates and loans?
Many local utilities offer incentives that will help customers use less electricity and one way is to install a heat pump. These heating and cooling systems feature a compressor installed outdoors which can transfer air both into and out of your home.
Heat pumps are usually more expensive to install than traditional air conditioning, but they’re more energy-efficient.
Lane County utilities generally offer both rebates and no or low-interest loans for heat pump installation, with exact terms varying depending on factors such as the utility, household size and income, and credit history.
Incentives for air conditioning from EWEB
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EWEB offers incentives for ducted and ductless heat pumps. For a ducted heat pump, the utility offers $1,000 as a standard rebate and up to $15,000 in zero-interest loans. Income-qualified households may be eligible for higher rebate amounts. EWEB offers a standard rebate of $800 for ductless heat pumps and up to $14,000 in zero-interest loans depending on the number of units. See all of EWEB’s incentives here: myaccount.eweb.org/Portal/pre-application-enroll
Incentives for air conditioning from SUB
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Springfield Utility Board offers incentives for both ducted and ductless heat pumps. For ducted heat pumps, rebates range from $200 to $1,400 and zero-interest loans are available up to $7,200, depending on the type of conversion. For ductless heat pumps, SUB offers rebates of $800 or $900 and zero-interest loans up to $4,700. See all of SUB’s incentives, as well as advice for saving electricity and water here: subutil.com/conservation/for-your-home/
Incentives offered by other Lane County utilities
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Energy Trust of Oregon offers rebates for Pacific Power customers. Rebates range from $800 and $1,800 for ductless heat pumps, and $1,000 and $3,000 for ducted heat pumps. See all Energy Trust’s residential incentives here: energytrust.org/residential/incentives/
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Emerald PUD offers rebates for both kinds of heat pumps. Homes can get an interest-free loan of up to $7,500 to install a ductless heat pump, or an $800 rebate if the heat pump is replacing Forced-Air Electric Furnace or Zonal Electric Heat. For a ducted heat pump, you can get a $7,500 interest-free loan or a rebate between $500 and $1,000. See all incentives at epud.org/energy-efficiency/energy-incentive-programs/
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Lane Electric Cooperative offers most customers a cash rebate of $800 or a 48-month, zero interest loan for up to $9,000 for installing a heat pump. Low-income customers can receive a $6,000 grant to install a ductless heat pump. For more information see laneelectric.com/programs-services/heat-pump-program/
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Central Lincoln PUD offers an $800 rebate for ductless heat pumps or a $1,000 to $1,200 rebate for a ducted heat pump. See all of CLPUD’s residential rebates at clpud.org/energy-efficiency/residential-rebates/
Federal tax credits sunset at end of this year
The federal government also offers a slate of tax credits related to making homes more efficient. Among the many changes in Congress’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is a sunset to these incentives, but Americans still have until the end of 2025 to apply for them.
Heat pumps as well as traditional air-conditioners can both earn their buyers tax credits. The tax credits for either device are worth 30% of its cost, capped at $600 for air conditioning and $2,000 for a heat pump. To access either tax credit, submit IRS Form 5695.
Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached by email at atorres@registerguard.com, on X @alanfryetorres or on Reddit at u/AlfrytRG.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: How to get money for a heat pump in Lane County
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