Great Appliance Swap-Out Program a go for New Yorkers

Written by Andrew Graham

Wednesday, 09 December 2009 10:35

For one week in February, New Yorkers will receive substantial rebates on new, energy-efficient appliances meant to replace old equipment under a federal program funded by President Obama's economic stimulus plan.

Dubbed the Great Appliance Swap-Out Program, the program will give consumers rebates ranging from $50 to $555 on new appliances purchased from Feb. 13 to Feb. 20 of next year. Appliances covered include refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, and dishwashers, with the largest rebates going toward the purchase of a three-appliance package.

All purchases must meet specified Energy Star or CEE standards to receive the rebate.

Funds for the rebates, which will total $16.8 million, will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the wide-ranging stimulus plan of nearly $800 billion in spending that lawmakers passed in February. The state would not have pursued the program if federal funds were not available, said Governor David Patterson in a statement.

The intent of the program is similar to that of the so-called cash for clunkers program, which gave auto owners a financial incentive to replace low-MPG automobiles with modern, fuel-efficient options and has since ended.

However, consumers will receive the appliance rebates in a different way. Whereas car dealers managed the bulk of the rebate administration for the auto program, consumers will bear the bulk of the paperwork for the appliance rebates, said Colleen Ryan of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

“The consumer is responsible for filling out the rebate forms and submitting them with the appropriate documentation: proof of purchase, recycling documentation. Once the rebate information is received by NYSERDA and verified as being completed and correct, a check will be sent to the consumer,” she said. Those forms and applications will be available online at www.NYApplianceSwapOut.com soon.

To ensure safe disposal of appliances, specifically refrigerators, which contain harmful coolant, retailers are expected to offer free appliance recycling to customers, NYSERDA said in a statement.

In a speech today (full text) about the nation's employment situation made at the Brookings Institution in Washington, President Obama indicated incentives for such in-home efficiency upgrades may be expanded.

“I'm calling on Congress to consider a new program to provide incentives for consumers who retrofit their homes to become more energy efficient, which we know creates jobs, saves money for families, and reduces the pollution that threatens our environment,” he said.

Image via: Marco Traerso - Flickr.com

Andrew Graham (bio) is a writer and media contact in New York. He is on Twitter and writes a blog about global affairs.