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EmPower+

 

EmPower+ helps low- and moderate-income households save energy and money toward energy improvements made to their property.

Through EmPower+:

  • Households can receive a no cost comprehensive home energy assessment to pinpoint where energy and dollars are being wasted and receive a customized plan to lower energy usage.
  • No-cost direct install improvements identified during the assessment can be installed by participating program contractors.
  • Households can receive financial discounts on the cost of energy efficiency improvements.

The program is open to income-eligible owners and renters of 1-4 family households.

Get Started

Step 1. First, you can review the eligibility requirements for EmPower+.

Step 2. Complete and submit an EmPower+ Application. The application can be completed online, or it can be downloaded, printed and mailed in.

Step 3. As part of the application process, you can select a trained and experienced participating program contractor.

Step 4. Following the approval of your EmPower+ Application, the household will be qualified as either low-income or moderate-income eligible. Your contractor will reach out and schedule the home energy assessment.

Step 5. The program contractor will perform the home energy assessment which identifies opportunities for energy efficiency improvements in the home. During the home energy assessment, the contractor will identify any opportunities for energy efficiency improvements that can be installed at the time of the home energy assessment at no charge to you.

Step 6. Within two weeks of the home energy assessment, a report of findings will be presented by the contractor to the household identifying the ways for the household to save energy.

Step 7. The contractor will develop a workscope based on the assessment findings and provide to the Program for approval.

Step 8. Following Program approval, the program contractor will go over the workscope with you, discuss out of pocket expenses, if any, and install the approved energy efficiency improvements.

Available Incentives

  • Low-income, single-family households are eligible for no-cost energy efficiency improvements capped at $10,000 per project.
  • Moderate-income single-family households are eligible for a discount of up to 50% of the cost of eligible work capped at $5,000 per project.
  • For renters, you will need to have landlord/building owner permission to take advantage of core energy efficiency improvements through EmPower+
  • Learn more about benefits for renters and two- to four-unit residential homes.
  • Eligible households can receive incentives toward the following prioritized core energy efficiency improvements including:
    • Attic, wall, and rim joist insulation
    • Air-sealing to reduce drafts
    • Health & safety items
    • Mobile-home underbelly insulation
    • Replacement of inefficient refrigerator/freezer units
  • For homes that have had air sealing and insulation completed, contractors can make recommendations to upgrade other equipment including:
    • Cold climate air source heat pump
    • Heat pump hot water tank
    • Replacement of low-efficiency natural gas heating systems (Household should be evaluated for heat pumps first)

Additional Resources

In addition to discounts by NYSERDA, there may be other financial incentives and offerings available through utilities and local community-based organizations. Households are encouraged to work with their Regional Clean Energy Hub, who can provide information about the benefits of the clean energy economy, ways to reduce energy use and costs, and how to make more informed energy decisions. Hubs can assist with completing the EmPower+ application and inform customers if local assistance is available for their project.