Helping Consumers Understand DOE’s Home Energy Rebates Programs: Recommendations for State Webpages

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Home Energy Rebates programs are of great interest to consumers, and that interest will only grow as the programs get closer to launching. Especially because states will be responsible for administering these programs, it is important for them to provide their residents with clear, easily accessible, consumer-friendly information. Even though the programs may not launch for many months, it is desirable for states to get a webpage up quickly to help prepare consumers and to ensure they don’t take actions based on inaccurate expectations.

Few consumers are energy experts, and most have no direct experience with rebates, clean energy appliances, and whole-home retrofits. Nevertheless, to take advantage of the Home Energy Rebates programs, they will need to navigate these complicated programs and make sense of the many other tax credits, rebates, and discounts for home improvements, including the different income and geographic eligibility rules for each incentive. To ensure that they can make decisions appropriate for their needs, they need tailored information that they can access in one location, informing them about these programs and the other state, regional, and local incentives they may be eligible for.

This guide explains what information states should provide consumers on a state Home Energy Rebates webpage and highlights existing information by DOE, states, and other entities that provide models and useful resource information.