Popular New York Appliance Rebate Program Ends After Just Five Days

A mere five days after launching, a New York state program encouraging residents to purchase energy-efficiency appliances that could help them reduce monthly electric bill expenses has ended.

The Buy Green, Save Green New York State High-Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program launched Sept. 2 with $3 million in rebate incentive funds from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Under the program, consumers qualified for $350 rebates on high-efficiency refrigerators and $250 rebates on high-efficiency clothes washers.

The original $3 million in funding for the popular program, which offered rebates on a first-come, first-served basis, began to run low over the weekend, so it received another infusion of $500,000 from NYSERDA. However, by 4 p.m. Sunday, the entire $3.5 million was exhausted.

A waiting list of about 3,000 people has been created in case other consumers fail to complete the paperwork needed to qualify for the rebates. A similar program by NYSERDA last year, New York’s Great Appliance Swap Out, offered $16 million in rebate funding and lasted four months longer than anticipated. The program was further extended after more than 25,000 consumers failed to claim their rebates.

NYSERDA has received 14,642 rebate applications for the Buy Green, Save Green program. Applicants who have completed an online or phone application are now instructed to mail their applications, complete with the original purchase receipt, to the rebate processing center as soon as possible.

Applicants can check their status at www.nysappliancerebates.com or by calling 877.NY.SMART (877.697.6278).

Sources

Energy-Efficient Appliance Funds Exhausted After Only Five Days, The Buffalo News, Sept. 8, 2011.