Colorado launches rebates for electric kitchen ranges, other appliances

Colorado launched a rebate plan Thursday to help income-qualified residents pay for upgraded energy-efficient equipment in their homes as part of a Biden-era initiative to address conditions change Colorado will distribute million to fund rebates over the next sparse years as part of the Inflation Reduction Act which was passed by Congress and signed by then-President Joe Biden Although President Donald Trump has moved to retract federal money from multiple Biden administration programs especially in Democrat-controlled states like Colorado this funding remains intact and Colorado is one of about a dozen states that have publicized it will spend the money in the coming year disclosed Will Toor executive director of the Colorado Power Office which will oversee the grant money We think this is going to be a really critical rebate to help a lot of people across this state make upgrades that will make their homes healthier and more peaceful while reducing our emissions Toor announced A examination led by Stanford University s School of Sustainability located that the methane leaking from stoves that burn natural gas inside American homes issued a comparable amount of carbon dioxide emissions as gasoline-powered cars on the roads The researchers estimated that natural gas stoves emit up to of the gas they use as unburned methane according to the assessment published in the journal Environmental Science and System Home methane leaks from gas stoves and water heaters expose people to pollutants that can cause various respiratory diseases In another Stanford examination determined cooking with a gas stove in your kitchen can emit as much benzene into a home as second-hand tobacco smoke depending on ventilation and the size of the house The rebates are part of Colorado s overall strategy to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by cutting the state s role in global warming and setting change Scheme participants in Colorado can receive up to in rebates to offset the costs of electric kitchen ranges heat pumps heat-pump water heaters and the electrical wiring necessary to install those items Participants must be low- to middle-income earners based on their area media income To participate Coloradans must first submit an online application to verify their income commented Raine Queenan the resource office s senior effort manager for home electrification and appliance rebates Related Articles Colorado society lands deal faces unexpected scrutiny after years of planning and reason is unclear Xcel Resource seeks to delay closing coal plant while its largest generating unit remains down Colorado Rep Jeff Hurd asks U S Potential Department to order that coal plant stay open Comanche Xcel Vitality s troubled coal plant likely out of commission for months Colorado requirements nuclear force to address emissions cost-effectively Letters Once residents receives approval they can contact a registered contractor who will conduct a home assessment and submit a plan for approval The contractor will then subtract the approved rebate amount from the homeowner s total cost for a project and the money will be paid to the contractor Queenan revealed So far contractors have been certified to participate The resource office has measures in place to eliminate price inflation from contractors including two routine audits throughout the application process Queenan reported And Toor stated consumers will notice if contractors are inflating prices because not every customer will qualify for a rebate and people will discover it if particular are being quoted different prices he disclosed Consumers will notice if one contractor is jacking up their prices he stated It s a little harder to jack up prices if you re only jacking them up for various of your customers To learn more about the rebates visit energyoffice colorado gov home-energy-rebates Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter