State lauds success of Illinois' Appliance Rebate Program

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois residents are taking advantage of rebates offered through the Illinois ENERGY STAR? Appliance Rebate Program at a record pace, officials with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced today. In just three weeks, consumers will have received over $500,000 in rebates and the program will have generated more than $2 million in water heater sales. Given the tremendous response, the ENERGY STAR water heater portion of the program will conclude at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, February 21.

"The overwhelming success of the appliance rebate program thus far shows that energy efficiency is important to Illinoisans, and we're pleased to offer a program that not only helps save energy, but also saves consumers money," said DCEO Director Warren Ribley. "This, together with the appliance portion of the program, which begins in April, will provide a tremendous boost to our efforts to green the state while adding green to our economy."

 Consumers have until Sunday to take advantage of the 25 percent rebate on ENERGY STAR water heaters.  Rebates on heating and cooling equipment are currently available and will continue to be until funding runs out. In order to receive the rebate, HVAC customers must work with a participating contractor near them. The list of contractors is available at www.illinoisenergy.org.
 
The second phase of the program, which will run from April 16 - 25, provides a flat 15 percent point-of-sale rebate to consumers who purchase energy efficient appliances at participating retail stores, including ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, dishwashers, and room air conditioners. 
          
The Illinois ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate Program is being managed by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) on behalf of DCEO. The state is also partnering with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) to enroll retailers in the program. Retailers interested in participating in the program can visit IRMA's website at www.helpgreenillinois.org.

For complete program guidelines and information, including a list of participating contractors and retailers, visit www.illinoisenergy.org.