SACRAMENTO, March 9, 2010 - California consumers will soon be able to trade in their old refrigerators, clothes washing machines, and room air conditioners for new energy efficient models as they cash in on $35.2 million of federal stimulus rebates starting in April. The California Cash for Appliances rebate program will offer cash incentives to consumers to improve California's long-term energy efficiency goals.
"The California Cash for Appliances rebate program kicks off on April 22, 2010 - Earth Day," said California Energy Commission Chairman Karen Douglas. "However, we anticipate such strong consumer demand that we wanted to give the public a sneak peak, so they can learn how this program works and get the most out of the rebates."
To help consumers prepare for the statewide rebate program, the California Cash for Appliances website at www.cash4appliances.org explains the rebate program offering information - such as the forms that consumers will fill out once the new efficient appliance is purchased. This will help consumers find eligible appliances and fill out forms correctly, delivering and installing energy efficient appliances and recycling old models to California certified recyclers. The website also lists the partner retailers who have signed on to the program, including "Platinum Partner" stores, which offer a full-service to consumers.
California residential consumers can get a $200 rebate for an eligible refrigerator, $100 for an efficient clothes washer, and $50 for a certified room air conditioner. These rebates may be combined with other rebates offered by manufacturers, retailers, or utilities. Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, for example, is already offering customers $35 to replace an old refrigerator. The California Cash for Appliances website will also provide consumers a link to other rebates that are available and a list of partners including the Platinum retail partners who will deliver the new appliances and recycle the old one at a California certified recycler. Consumers are urged to look for appliances with the California Cash for Appliances sticker at their favorite local retailer.
"Just as the Cash for Clunkers program took old gas-guzzling cars off the road, the Cash for Appliances program recycles inefficient refrigerators, washers, and room air conditioners with more efficient ones," said Chairman Douglas. "Homeowners should notice the savings on their energy bills with their new appliances almost immediately. Today a new ENERGY STAR® -qualified refrigerator, for example, will use 50 percent less energy as ones made in the 1990s, and 80 percent less energy than the ones made in the 1970s. That can translate to as much as $65 a year savings on your electricity bill."
Consumers can only receive one rebate on each type of appliance, on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are depleted.
Funding for the program comes from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). California has been allocated $35.2 million in federal ARRA funds to participate in the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP). The California Energy Commission is administering the SEEARP that will provide rebates to consumers for purchasing qualified home appliances during the rebate period.
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