Appliance rebates to start soon in Arizona
The U.S. Energy Department awarded Arizona more than $6.2 million for the rebates after giving final approval to the state's program Dec. 14. The program is funded with federal stimulus cash from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It's geared to help consumers make the switch to Energy Star-labeled appliances, which are usually 15 to 50 percent more efficient than standard ones. Nationwide, the U.S. government said it would make $300 million available to state energy offices for the rebates. Absent from Arizona's list are refrigerators, which was a point of concern for Doug Betts, owner of Christie's Appliance Co. in Tucson. Refrigerators are a big-ticket item for the appliance store, Betts said. And when a consumer replaces a 20-year-old refrigerator with a more efficient one, it can save a lot of energy, he said. David Drennon, a spokesman for the Arizona Commerce Department, said -- in addition to the other rebates -- refrigerators were kept off the list because of the environmental concerns of disposing of the refrigerant Freon, which would have added another layer to the program. Even when the rebate goes into effect, Betts said, he doesn't expect customers to flood into his stores. "It will have some effect but probably not a tremendous effect," he said. Most consumers are buying new appliances out of necessity, not because they want the latest, most fuel-efficient technology, he said. "For the most part, people are buying appliances because their old ones broke down," Betts said. When that happens, they don't have the luxury of waiting around until a government rebate goes into effect, he said. The Commerce Department says clothes washers will be eligible for rebates of $125 or $200 depending on their efficiency. Consumers who buy dishwashers can get $75 or $125 back under Arizona's program. Water heaters, depending on their type, are eligible for rebates of $200, $300 or $425. The more energy-efficient models come with a higher cost, prompting the greater rebates, Drennon said. Details about how the rebate will be administered are still being worked out, he said, though he doesn't expect it will be the vendors' responsibility to handle it. He said the state is seeking proposals from outside companies to deal with it. The program will last until the money runs out, so its duration is dependent upon the consumer, Drennon said. Word spread about the possibility of rebates just as the federal government's Cash for Clunkers program, which encouraged drivers to trade in older cars for newer and more fuel-efficient ones, wound down. That raised concerns among local appliance vendors, who worried that customers might hold off on making purchases. But Drennon said the state's Energy Office isn't encouraging people to hold off on acquiring new appliances, as many stores are already offering significant discounts on their merchandise. The timing of the appliance rebate program's announcement last year drew comparisons to cash for clunkers, but Drennon said the appliance rebate is different. For one thing, unlike the clunkers program, consumers don't need to trade in an old appliance to get the rebate. The state isn't going to be responsible for getting rid of the old washers and water heaters. "The purpose of this program is to make the switch to Energy Star appliances because they are so much more energy efficient," Drennon said. State rebates For information about what appliances are eligible for Arizona's appliance rebate program go to www.azcommerce.com/ Energy/Rebate Utility rebates Tucson Electric Power Co. also offers rebates on energy-efficient appliances. For example, information about rebates for home-cooling systems is available at www.tucsonelectric.com/ Green/EHC/index.asp Contact reporter Dale Quinn at 573-4197 or dquinn@azstarnet.com |