Whirlpool Website Helps Consumers Access Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebates
Among the many clean energy investments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is the $300 million appliance rebate program funded through the Department of Energy. The program offers consumer rebates for the purchase of Energy Star qualified appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers. Most rebate programs began this January, and last between one and three years.
To help consumers access these rebates, Whirlpool has put together an easy-to-use website that lists rebates available in each state for different types of appliances, and allows buyers to download and print rebate forms. While shopping for rebates, consumers can compare water and energy savings of each model. In addition to rebates, many utilities offer programs to buy and haul away old appliances being replaced by those that are more energy efficient. Buyouts typically range from $25-$50.
According to the Energy Information Administration, appliances consume more than 62% of a home’s energy. Air conditioners use the most energy (16%), but refrigerator gobble up 13.7% of a home’s average total energy use. Whirlpool claims that replacing a refrigerator manufactured before 1993 with their most energy-efficient model can save up to $65 per year in operating costs.
Whirlpool Corporation, which owns and markets a number of appliance brands including Maytag and KitchenAid, is headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan. In the U.S., Whirlpool has manufacturing facilities in Fort Smith, Arkansas; Evansville, Indiana; Newton and Amana, Iowa; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Cleveland, Tennessee; and four Ohio cities. In addition to eligibility for the appliance rebate program, Whirlpool also received a grant of $19.3 million in ARRA Smart Grid funds to develop and commercialize smart appliances. According to the company’s grant application, these appliances will allow consumers to defer or schedule their energy use, which can lower consumer costs and reduce peak electricity demand.
Check out Whirlpool’s Cash for Appliances website.
–Elena Foshay
Tags: applicances, ARRA, Energy Efficiency