Rebates and Programs

Rebates and Programs

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Residential High Efficiency Equipment Rebates

Minnesota Energy Resources provides rebates to residential customers who install high efficiency natural gas equipment, energy efficient appliances, and set-back thermostats to lower their natural gas bill. You must be a current Minnesota Energy Resources residential customer to receive a rebate. Owners and renters may apply. The rebate will be issued to the person invoiced for the equipment. An itemized invoice for the equipment must be included with the application:

Available Residential Rebates

Measure Minimum Efficiency Rebate
Gas Furnace Replacement 92-94.99% AFUE1 $250
Gas Furnace Replacement 95% AFUE1 or greater $350
High Efficiency Boiler 90% AFUE1 $200
Integrated Space and Water Heating System 90% CAE2 $250
Electronic Programmable Set-Back Thermostat   $40
Water Heater 0.62-.6399 EF3 $45
Water Heater 0.64-.8199 EF $75
Water Heater 0.82 EF or greater $250
Tankless Water Heater 0.82 EF3 $250
Drain Water Heat Recovery Device (DHR)   $150
Top Loading Clothes Washer Energy Star Rated $35
Front Loading Clothes Washer Energy Star Rated $50
Electronic Ignition Hearth No standing pilot $75
Air Sealing No tighter than 3.0 ACH50 $300
Air Sealing & Attic Insulation R44 and sealing of bypass $650
Sidewall Insulation R13 $425
Foundation Insulation R7 $425

The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) ratings will be used to determine the AFUE, EF, and CAE for heating purposes.

1AFUE: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency

2EF: Energy Factor

3CAE: Combined Annual Efficiency

For additional information, call us toll-free at 800-889-9508. Rebate applications may be obtained from most dealers or you may print the application above.

Funding is limited and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This program ends December 31 of each year, or when funding is depleted. The program application must be received by January 31 of the following year.

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New Home Rebates

Minnesota Energy Resources provides rebates to residential customers who install high efficiency natural gas equipment, energy efficient appliances, and set-back thermostats to lower their natural gas bill. To receive a rebate, the new home must be served by Minnesota Energy Resources and cannot be participating in the Energy Star Homes program. Owners and renters may apply. The rebate will be issued to the person invoiced for the equipment. An itemized invoice for the equipment must be included with the application:

Available Residential Rebates

Measure Minimum Efficiency Rebate
Gas Furnace - New Home 92-94.99% AFUE1 $250
Gas Furnace - New Home 95% AFUE1 or greater $350
High Efficiency Boiler 90% AFUE1 $200
Integrated Space and Water Heating System 90% CAE2 $250
Electronic Programmable Set-Back Thermostat   $40
Water Heater - New Home 0.62-.6300 EF3 $45
Water Heater - New Home 0.64-.8199 EF $75
Water Heater - New Home 0.82 EF or greater $250
Tankless Water Heater 0.82 EF3 $250
Drain Water Heat Recovery Device (DHR)   $150
Top Loading Clothes Washer Energy Star Rated $35
Front Loading Clothes Washer Energy Star Rated $50
Electronic Ignition Hearth No Standing Pilot $75

1AFUE: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency

2CAE: Combined Annual Efficiency

3EF: Energy Factor

For additional information, call us toll-free at 800-889-9508. Rebate applications may be obtained from most dealers or you may print the application above.

Funding is limited and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This program ends December 31st of each year, or when funding is depleted. The program application must be received by January 31 of the following year.

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Low Income New Construction Rebates

If you are a non-profit organization such as a Community Action Program agency or Habitat for Humanity serving the low-income community, Minnesota Energy Resources supports your community efforts through the rebates outlined below.

If you are a low income customer and Habitat for Humanity or another community-based non-profit organization is building your new home, your home may qualify for one or more of the following rebates.

Equipment Efficiency Requirements Rebate Amount
Gas Furnace 92% or higher AFUE1 $500
Integrated Space and Water Heating System 90% CAE2 $900
Electronic Programmable Set-Back Thermostat   $100
Water Heater 0.62 EF3 $100
Drain Water Heat Recovery Device (DHR)   $300
Low Flow Showerhead N/A $10
Energy Efficient Landscaping4 N/A up to $200

1AFUE: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency

2CAE: Combined Annual Efficiency

3EF: Energy Factor

4Landscaping must be similar to an evergreen in that they maintain their foliage throughout the winter so they may provide protection against the wind.

The new home must be served by Minnesota Energy Resources. The rebate will be issued to the non-profit organization submitting the application and responsible for the project. An itemized invoice for the installed equipment must be included with the application:

Funding is limited and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This program ends December 31 of each year, or when funding is depleted. The program application must be received by January 31 of the following year.

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Low Income Energy Assistance Program

The federal government provides financial assistance to low income residents in the State of Minnesota to help pay their energy bills. These funds are disseminated through local agencies that serve specific counties. To find out which CAP agency serves the county you live in and to obtain their contact information, visit Find Energy Assistance.

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Low Income Weatherization and Emergency Furnace and Water Heater Replacement Program

The federal government provides weatherization assistance to limited income residents in the State of Minnesota to help reduce their energy usage and thus their energy bills. This weatherization assistance is provided through local agencies that serve specific counties. In addition to the federal dollars, Minnesota Energy Resources provides monies to supplement the federal dollars. These funds can pay for weatherization and or for emergency natural gas furnace and water heater replacements. For more information about weatherization and emergency furnace and water heater replacements, please call 877-358-0305.

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4U2 Program

Contact: Local Community Action Program Agency

This pilot program is currently only available to Minnesota Energy Resources customers in the following counties: Blue Earth, Brown, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, LeSueur, Martin, Mower, Nicolet, Olmsted, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan and Wincha.

4U2 is a program for qualifying customers who are looking for ways to reduce their energy costs without sacrificing comfort. The program starts with an energy audit to identify weatherization opportunities that will make the home more comfortable and energy efficient. Once energy-saving opportunities are identified the customer can decide whether or not to have them implemented. There is a small co-pay with this program. To find out more about the program and see if you qualify, call 877-358-0305.

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Energy Star® Plus New Homes Program (for builders)

The Energy Star® Plus Homes program provides support to builders for improving the energy efficiency of homes they are building. Homes with a HERS rating of 80 meet the National Energy Star standard. The average Minnesota HERS rating for homes that have received energy improvement advice from a third party provider and have implemented improvements range from a HERS rating of 58 to 74, depending on the size and type of home. Minnesota Energy Resources seeks to improve the efficiency of homes that receive advice and implement energy improvement measures by 10 percent on the HERS rating, making it an Energy Star Plus Home.

To accomplish this, Minnesota Energy Resources will provide, at no cost to the builder:

For more detailed information about this program, including the minimum requirements, please call 612-387-7796.

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Water Heating Saver Program

After heating your home, hot water use is the second largest user of natural gas in your home – accounting for about 15 percent of your total energy use. The Minnesota Energy Resources Hot Water Conservation Program is intended to help you reduce energy costs associated with water heating.

Free Water Conservation Kits
Hot water conservation kits offer customers an assortment of showerhead and aerators to help reduce water use. And, the price is right, as the kits are FREE to qualified Minnesota Energy Resources customers.
Water Heating Equipment
Installing a high efficiency hot water heater is an energy-saving investment. When it comes to water heaters, most homes have conventional storage water heaters. Minnesota Energy Resources offers incentives ranging from $45-250 on qualified high efficiency storage water heaters.
Tankless Water Heaters
If you are replacing your water heater, you might want to consider tankless water heaters. The incentive is greater, and so are the savings. ENERGY STAR® indicates that a tankless water heater can have a savings of 30 percent over most conventional storage water heaters. Tankless water heaters offer other advantages, including: longer equipment life and space saving design. Minnesota Energy Resources offers an incentive of $250 on tankless water heaters.
Energy Star® Washers
About 70-90% of the energy used by a washing machine is for heating the water, so washers that use less hot water use less energy. Minnesota Energy Resources is offering a rebate of $35 for ENERGY STAR® rated top-loading washers, and $50 for ENERGY STAR® rated front-loading clothes washers. And, since front-loading clothes washers wring more water out of the clothes, you'll also save on energy used for drying.
Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR)
Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR) is an emerging technology that allows you to essentially recycle the heat from drain water. This energy can be used to preheat cold water going into your water heater. DWHR systems reduce the energy needed for heating water and, in essence, increase the capacity of water heaters. Minnesota Energy Resources offers an incentive of $150 on a qualified drain water heat recovery system.

To learn more about this exciting technology visit http://www.energysavers.gov or learn about other Water Saving Tips.

Additional Rebates and Incentives

Additional energy-saving rebates may be available through your electric utility provider. If you are an electric customer of any of the following utilities, be sure to click on your utility name below to visit their Web site and see what rebates they have to offer.

There are also several energy efficiency incentives and programs available through local, utility, state and federal organizations. The following links provide additional information on these programs and incentives:

Program Information-Descriptions:

Federal Tax Forms:

For assistance or additional information please contact us toll-free at 800-889-9508.

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