Rebates

Georgia enacted legislation in April 2006 (HB 1018) creating an exemption for biomass materials from the state's sales and use taxes. The term "biomass material" is defined as "organic matter, excluding fossil fuels, including agricultural crops, plants, trees, wood, wood wastes and residues, sawmill waste, sawdust, wood chips, bark chips, and forest thinning, harvesting, or clearing residues; wood waste from pallets or other wood demolition debris; peanut shells; pecan shells; cotton plants; corn stalks; and plant matter, including aquatic plants, grasses, stalks, vegetation, and residues, including hulls, shells, or cellulose-containing fibers."

To qualify for the exemption, the biomass

Blue Ridge Mountain EMC and TVA, its power supplier, offer the Energy Right and TVA E-Score rebates to qualified members. To qualify for water heater rebates provided by the Energy Right program, a home must be built to meet the program requirements. Homes that meet the program requirements will be all-electric and have an efficient heat pump installed.

E-Score provides incentives for energy saving and weatherization home improvements.  Up to half of the cost of several energy efficiency measures can be reclaimed in the form of rebates.

Consult the Blue Ridge Mountain EMC website for more information on these programs.

Blue Ridge Mountain EMC and TVA offer a loan program to help finance electric heat pumps. Qualified homeowners can borrow up to $15,000 payable in 10 years. The heat pump must be installed by a member of the Quality Contractor network, and will require an inspection before payment of the system. More information is available online at the website listed above.

Much of the information presented in this summary is drawn from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). For more detailed information about building energy codes, visit the DOE and BCAP websites.

Georgia's Department of Community Affairs periodically reviews, amends and/or updates the state minimum standard codes. Georgia has "mandatory" and "permissive" codes. Georgia State Energy Code for Buildings (International Energy Conservation Code) is a mandatory code and requires any structure built in Georgia to comply with these codes, whether or not the local government chooses to locally enforce them

Central Georgia EMC offers a loan program to homeowners who wish to pursue energy efficiency improvements. All energy efficiency improvements must meet Energy Star Criteria in order to qualify for the loan program. Loan amounts vary depending on the project. 

If a customer needs help determining what energy efficiency improvements could be made in their home, Central Georgia EMC offers in-home energy audits. To find out more about audits, contact the utility through its website or call (770)-775-7857.

In June 2008, Central Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (CGEMC) began offering a rebate of $450 per kilowatt (kW) to residential members who install photovoltaic (PV) systems that are interconnected and net-metered. To qualify, PV systems must have a warranty of five or more years and must be installed by a licensed contractor. In addition, PV systems are limited to 10 kW in capacity and must be installed in accordance with all applicable building and national electric codes.

Because Central Georgia EMC reserves the right to modify or cancel the program at any time without prior notification, interested members should contact

Central Georgia Electric Member Corporation (CGEMC) offers rebates for residential customers to increase the energy efficiency of existing homes or to build new energy efficient homes. Call CGEMC directly to verify rebate availability.

The City of Atlanta offers developers expediting permitting and an additionally height bonus for meeting a variety of criteria. The criteria is divided two categories: Green Development and Plaza Areas.

1. Green Development
1. To qualify for the green development incentives, such development shall:
   
• Be in excess of 100,000 square feet of floor area;
  
• Utilize non-potable water sources for 100 percent of all outdoor water use;
  
• Provide verification of an Analysis of the City Energy Code that demonstrates ten percent reduction of energy use, in comparison to the City Energy Code requirements;
  
• Provide open space at least ten percent above open space

In December 2003, the City of Atlanta passed a green building ordinance that applies to city-owned facilities and city-funded projects. This green building ordinance applies to all new construction and renovation projects in which the building has 5,000 square feet of occupied space or the total project cost exceeds $2 million. These projects must incorporate sustainable design principles and must meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating. Departments must submit an annual report to the City's environmental manager to demonstrate compliance with this standard.

The City of Chamblee, Georgia requires all of its new municipal buildings over 5,000 square feet of occupied space or one million dollars in cost to be certified under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. Buildings under 5,000 square feet or one million dollars may be certified under Energy Star or EarthCraft Light Commercial standards in lieu of LEED. Additionally, other projects may be certified by programs other than LEED if approved by the Planning and Development Director. Renovations must also follow LEED guidelines, or other programs if LEED certification is not feasible.

The City of Chamblee also

Coweta-Fayette Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) provides electric and natural gas service to 58,000 customers in Georgia's Coweta, Fayette, Meriwether, Heard, Troop and Fulton counties. Customers of Coweta-Fayette EMC can take advantage of the Home Plus Energy Efficiency Loan Program to pursue any approved energy efficiency measures and upgrades.  Examples of approved energy saving measures include: Energy Star rated heat pumps, water heaters, double pane windows, weather stripping, attic and floor insulation, caulking, duct insulation, and duct sealing.

For information on loan amounts, interest rates, and repayment terms, contact Coweta-Fayette EMC by phone at (770) 502-0226.

Coweta-Fayette Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) provides electric and natural gas service to customers in Georgia's Coweta, Fayette, Meriwether, Heard, Troop and Fulton counties. Currently, Coweta-Fayette EMC offers a variety of rebates for the installation of programmable thermostats, electric vehicle charging stations, heat pump water heaters, and air conditioners. Additional rebates and incentives are also available for new home construction. View the program web site for all equipment requirements. For more information on how to receive this rebate, contact Coweta-Fayette EMC.

Coweta-Fayette EMC also offers home energy assessments. See website for list of services provided.

Coweta-Fayette Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) provides electric and natural gas service to 58,000 customers in Georgia's Coweta, Fayette, Meriwether, Heard, Troop and Fulton counties.

Coweta-Feyette EMC operates the SmartChoice Home Program to help make existing homes conserve more energy through the installation of energy saving devices. These rebates apply only to existing homes. The installation rebates include:

Programmable Thermostat: $50.00
Electric Vehicle Charging Station: $100.00
Heat Pump/Air Conditioner: $100.00
Heat Pump Water Heater: $250.00

View the program web site for all equipment and program participation requirements. For more information on how to receive this rebate, contact Coweta-Fayette EMC.
 

Diverse Power offers a number of rebates to homeowners for purchasing and installing energy-efficient measures, such as heat pumps, water heaters, heat recovery systems, and for replacing natural gas heat pumps and water heaters with electric systems. Rebates for water heaters increase depending on what kind of system is being replaced by the new efficient system purchase. For a complete list of the rebates available to Diverse Power customers, see the program web site above.

Diverse Power also covers rebates for new homes that are displayed on Diverse Power's web site.

Diverse Power offers a number of rebates for new homes that meet or exceed national, state, and local building and energy codes and install energy-efficient measures, such as heat pumps, water heaters, and heat recovery systems. New home rebates are paid directly to the contractor unless another arrangement is made. For a complete list of the rebates available to Diverse Power customers, see the program website above.

Diverse Power also covers rebates for existing homes; see Diverse Power's website.

Electric Power Board provides a financial incentive for residential customers to replace old water heaters with new ones which meet the minimum standards set forth by the DOE. The rebate is worth $50 and will be applied to the customer's utility bill. Along with the application, customers must mail in a proof of purchase and the manufacturer's description of the water heater (to ensure it is electric). Contact EPB for more program details.

Note: The Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) Program. The IRA established the main parameters for this program but allowed the states to customize the program to meet their state-specific needs. The program is designed to provide rebates for whole-home energy improvements. Actual rebate amounts are determined by the level of modeled or measured energy savings and the income level of the applicant. See summary below and program website for complete details. 

Georgia’s HER program is now available as a limited pilot and is expected to fully launch by March 31, 2025. During the pilot

Note: The Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program. The IRA established the main parameters for this program but allowed the states to customize the program to meet their state-specific needs. The program is designed to award rebates for purchase of qualifying home electrification equipment and appliances. Residents earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) can receive the full rebate amount, and residents earning between 80% and 150% AMI can receive a partial rebate. See summary below and program website for complete details.

Georgia’s HEAR program is now available as

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) encourages Georgians to utilize zero-interest financing options to help make their homes more energy efficient and save on utility bills. Financing is available through Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Electric Cities of Georgia, the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia and Estes Heating and Air. Many communities in Georgia are available for financing through these organizations. A complete list of eligible organizations is available here.

The residential energy efficiency financing programs, which are funded through GEFA, allow homeowners to apply for funding to carry out a variety of upgrades and improvement measures, including air sealing and

Georgia Green Loans, a non-profit microlending agency, offers funding to "green" businesses using funding from a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) grant. The GEFA grant is based on State Energy Program funding from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Georgia Green Loans is using this funding for the "Save & Sustain" program to subsidize commercial energy audits for Georgia small businesses and commercial property owners, and to provide low-interest loans for energy-efficient improvements. Georgia Green Loans will cover most of the costs for commercial energy audits through a select group of energy auditing partners, allowing businesses to

Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) offers grants of up to $10,000 to congregations or faith-based communities, including faith-based schools. Grant funds may be used for energy conservation measures recommended after receiving the Power Wise Energy Audit through GIPL. Reasonable design fees (10%) can be included in applications for complex projects. GIPL does not fund HVAC system replacements.

Organizations receiving grants must provide an equal match of money toward the energy improvements. Matching funds can include creation care funds, capital improvements funds, building funds, tithes, loans or in-kind services. Grant funds must be used for the authorized projects within one year

Georgia Power offers businesses energy services such as energy product installation, high-level to investment-grade audits, energy consulting services, project management and site supervision, arrange for highly competitive financing on projects due to Georgia Power's financial strength, training, commissioning of systems and equipment, retro-commissioning/recommissioning, and construction services.

Products provided include HVAC and chiller upgrades, heating and boiler systems, central plants, lighting retrofits, system optimization, controls, motor and pump replacements, water conservation, compressed-air systems, and solar and solar water heating. 

Georgia Power provides rebates to its residential customers through the Home Energy Improvement Program and the Multifamily Home Energy Improvement Program.

Home Energy Improvement Program

Under this program customers work with a participating program contractor to get a home energy assessment. Georgia Power will pay for 50% of the cost or up to $150 off the assessment. There are two programs that customers can participate in, the Individual Improvements Program and the Whole House Improvements Program. Schedule a home energy assessment for more information.

Multifamily Home Energy Improvement Program

The Home Energy Improvement Program empowers residential property owners to implement

Note: Expires December 31, 2024

Georgia Power offers a $150 rebate to its residential customers for the installation of a Level 2 Charger in their home. A rebate request form must be submitted within 60 days of the installation. For more information, visit the program website.

In determining that the use of solar energy "can help reduce the nation's reliance upon imported fuels," Georgia encourages the development of solar-energy systems. Accordingly, under Georgia's Solar Easements Act of 1978, easements may be established to allow owners of solar-energy systems to negotiate for assurance of continued access to sunlight. Any easement must be created in writing and is subject to the same requirements as all other legal easements. The easement must contain:

• A description of the airspace affected by the easement
• Any terms and/or conditions under which the easement is granted or will be terminated

GreyStone Power, an electricity cooperative in Georgia, offers a rebate for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to members. The one-time rebate is offered for PV installations that are interconnected and net-metered. The rebate is equal to $450 per kilowatt (kW) AC for systems up to 10 kilowatts (kW) in capacity.

Contact the cooperative for more information on the PV rebate program process.

GreyStone Power, an electricity cooperative serving 103,000 customers in Georgia, introduced a solar water heating rebate in March 2009. This $500 rebate is available to customers regardless of their current method of heating water. A list of preferred contractors is provided by GreyStone.

GreyStone will install monitoring equipment with the system to monitor system output and performance and will share this information with the customer. Contact Greystone for more information, inlcuding program requirements.

Habersham Electric Membership Corporation (HEMC) is an electric cooperative that provides service to 32,000 customers in northeastern Georgia, including Rabun, Habersham, White, Hall, Lumpkin and Stephens counties. Habersham EMC offers a rebate program for homes that meet certain insulation specifications and pass inspection by a Habersham EMC representative.  Touchstone Energy Homes are also eligible for an Energy Conservation rate discount.

The Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act of 2001 allows residential and commercial electricity customers with photovoltaic (PV) systems, wind-energy systems or fuel cells to connect to the grid. The aggregate capacity of distributed generation systems is limited to 0.2% of a utility's system peak demand from the previous year.

Interconnected customers must comply with all relevant national standards, including those established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and the National Electrical Safety Code (NEC). Furthermore, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) may adopt additional safety, power-quality and interconnection requirements. There is no provision

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is an electric cooperative that serves 194,000 in 10 northeast Georgia counties. For its residential customers, Jackson EMC offers a low-interest loan for energy efficient improvements. Qualification for the loan program is based on individual creditworthiness as well as the utility's own standards. This is a limited time offer and rates are subject to change. Visit the program website for more information.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is an electric cooperative that serves 194,000 customers in 10 counties in northeast Georgia.  To encourage its residential customers to adopt energy efficient equipment in their homes, Jackson EMC provides rebates for in-home energy evaluations, electric heat pumps, smart thermostats, and electric vehicle chargers.

Customers may be eligible for a $200 rebate if they have a home energy evaluation audit performed. This audit also qualifies them for up to $400 in rebates for duct sealing and replacement, as well as for insulation and air sealing.

Jackson EMC offers residential customers a $250 rebate for a level 2 EV charger.

For more information, go to the offer website.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (Jackson EMC), which serves over 185,000 residential customers, offers rebates to those customers who install solar powered systems. In exchange for these incentives, Jackson EMC retains the rights to any renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the energy production of these systems. Residential customers may qualify for the one-time rebate of $250 per kilowatt (kW) of DC installed, up to 10 kW. In order to qualify, they must select a trained and certified North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) contractor to install the system, which must be certified by the Florida Solar Energy Center. In

Note: In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activities subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

Marietta Power & Water provides rebates for electric water heaters ($250) and electric and dual-fuel heat pumps ($150). If both a water heater and heat pump are installed simultaneously, a rebate of $500 is available. Electric and dual-fuel heat pumps may be installed in newly constructed homes or replace an existing residential gas system. The developer, owner or builder must request to participate in this program before replacing or installing any new electric appliances and must enter into the program by signing MP&W's contract. The developer, owner or builder must schedule with a utility representative an inspection date for the

Note: A decision filed by the Georgia Public Service Commission in Georgia Power's 2019 rate case required Georgia Power to offer net metering with monthly netting to 5,000 rooftop solar customers or 32 MW of capacity, whichever comes first. This cap was met in 2021. The PSC made a decision in Georgia Power's 2022 rate case that kept the cap, and stipulated that for current and new customers on instantaneous net metering, Georgia Power will pay an avoided cost in addition to four cents/kWh for excess generation starting January 1, 2023 -- with the additional amount set in place until a

Satilla Rural Electric Member Corporation offers the HomePlus Loan Program to members to install energy-efficient improvements in their homes. Members can receive financing for improvements in heating and cooling, insulation, windows and doors, and weatherization items. There are three tiers of loans which vary depending on the amount of the loan.

For more information on the HomePlus Loan Program see the program website. 

 

Electric Membership Corporation offers free commercial energy audits. The following areas are reviewed when an energy audit is performed: lighting; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; thermostat settings; breakdown of cost/usage on equipment/appliances; equipment/employee scheduling; and estimations on heating and cooling costs.

Sawnee EMC provides a variety of rebates for residential customers building new energy-efficient homes or making energy efficiency improvements to existing homes.

The Energy Efficiency Existing Home Rebate Program offers rebates for attic insulation upgrades, HVAC tune-ups, hybrid water heaters, appliance recycling, and other incentives. In order to qualify for the rebates, members must first have a free on-site evaluation performed by a Sawnee EMC Energy Service Representative (ESR). Measures recommended by the ESR then qualify for the rebate once they have been completed and inspected. 

For more information, visit the program website. 

 

 

 

Please note that the GPP Program will be retired after 2019. The program will close to new applications, including Capacity Increase and Decrease Requests, December 31, 2019, 5 p.m. CST. Those enrolled in the program as of that date will continue in the program through the duration of their contracts.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and participating power distributors of TVA power offer a performance-based incentive program to homeowners and businesses for the installation of renewable generation systems from the following qualifying resources: PV, wind, hydropower, and biomass. The long term Green Power Providers program replaces the Generation Partners* pilot program

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) now compliments the small generation Green Power Providers Program by providing incentives for mid-sized renewable energy generators between 50kW and 20MW to enter into long term price contracts. The goal for total production from all participants is 100MW, with no more than 50MW from any one renewable technology. The Renewable Standard Offer program also includes Solar Solution Initiative program that offers additional financial incentives for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) projects. 

TVA bases the standard offer for customer generators off of a seasonal time-of-day averages chart, which sets base prices for the term of the

TVA offers a variety of rebates to local power company and TVA direct-served residential customers who purchase and install various energy-saving technologies. Eligible technologies include heat pumps, water heaters, duct/air sealing, insulation, and window replacement. All rebate-eligible home energy services or projects must be completed by members of the TVA EnergyRight Quality Contractor Network. 

In-person home energy evaluations are offered through participating local power companies. See program website for details regarding specific equipment requirements. 

Solar Solutions Initiative (SSI) is a pilot program that offers additional financial incentives for Solar PV systems participating in the Renewable Standard Offer program. Applications for new projects for the year 2015 will open on January 2, 2015. Participants applying for the Solar Solutions Incentive program are required to apply through the Renewable Standard Offer program.

The program offers performance based incentive of $0.04/kWh for the first 10 years after the project is operational. This incentive is additional to the seasonal and time-of-day price for electricity offered through the Renewable Standard Offer program.

The total capacity for the program for

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) energy right Heat Pump Plan provides financing to promote the installation of high efficiency heat pumps in homes and small businesses. Installation, performance, and weatherization standards ensure the appropriate sizing of equipment and operation of the system. TVA maintains a Quality Contractor Network (QCN) from which customers can choose an installer. Through a third-party lender, TVA provides financing for residential heat pumps with repayment on the customer’s electric bill and a term of up to 10 years. The programs are independently administered by local power companies served by TVA.

Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is an electric cooperative that serves 100,000 customers in ten northeastern Georgia counties.
Walton EMC has partnered with GEMC Federal Credit Union to offer the HomePlus Loan to make energy efficiency upgrades more affordable for residential customers. Customers with good utility payment record, credit application, credit report and property title can receive prime rate financing for the installation of weatherization measures.

Visit the program website for more information.

 

Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is an electric cooperative that serves approximately 100,000 customers in 10 northeastern Georgia counties. Walton EMC provides financial incentives for residential members that wish to improve the energy efficiency of eligible residences. Residents in existing homes that switch from a fossil fuel heating system to an all-electric heat pump, either unitary, geothermal or package, can qualify for a $200 rebate. Customers may also receive a rebate of $200 for the installation of a heat pump water heater. See the program website for more information.