Florida announces appliance rebate program

The State of Florida announced early this week the launching of its Energy Star Appliance Rebate Program starting this April 16 and lasting through April 25, 2010.

The ten day program will provide Florida residents who replace an old appliance with a new Energy Star appliance with a 20% rebate off the retail price of the appliance.

Only six Energy Star appliances are eligible for the rebate: Refrigerators; freezers; dish washers; washing machines; room air conditioners (window units); and gas hot water heaters.

Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products. It was first created in 1992 as a United States government program by the Clinton Administration in an effort to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission by power plants.

Florida’s rebate program is part of the Federal cash for clunkers program funded through President Obama’s economic stimulus package that allowed consumers to trade in fuel-inefficient vehicles for efficient ones. However, unlike the Federal program, states were given the option to determine for themselves how best to administer the rebate.

Any Florida resident that is in need of a new energy efficient appliance and would like to take advantage of the rebate program better start looking now, because the state only have enough funds to provide rebates for 66,000 new ones. In addition, consumers who recycle their old appliance will received an additional $75 bonus on top of the rebate.

State officials are defining recycling as either: The consumer arranges for their retail store to deliver the new appliance and pick up the old appliance with that agreement written on the receipt. The store must recycle the old appliance; it cannot refurbish and resell it. Or, the consumer can take their old appliance directly to a landfill, solid waste department or recycler and get a receipt.

The state is hoping that the rebate program will help reduce consumer electric bills through the use of Energy Star appliances and stimulate retail sales and manufacturing to encourage employment in those sectors.