The City of Medicine Hat's utility division has announced its 2022 HatSmart energy conservation rebate program.--News Photo Collin Gallant
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The 2022 HatSmart energy efficiency rebate program splits applications for new and existing homes into separate categories but dramatically reduces the amount of money available for solar panel installations.
Over 13 years, the program has helped offset the cost of a variety of purchases and upgrades by home and business owners to reduce their energy use.
Photo voltaic systems, however, often made up the largest share of the rebates available, up to $5,000 last year for new systems, or $1 per watt of capacity.
This year, existing homeowners could qualify for a maximum of $1,000 on a solar power system, and a maximum total of $5,000 per address for the entire range of rebates. Those include upgrades to insulation (up to $2,500), windows and doors ($2,500), the purchase of higher-efficiency furnaces or air conditioners ($700 each) and tankless water heating systems ($500).
“Each year, we evaluate the success of our incentive program, evaluate other program offerings and modify to help homeowners achieve maximum benefit for their energy-conscious home upgrades,” said Jaret Dickie, manager of municipal services business support, in a release.
Newly constructed homes can qualify for up to a $10,000 rebate on additional construction costs that lead to improved energy use. That’s similar to recent years, and is based on a federal system for calculated reductions from average use.
HatSmart provides a home built in 2022 a rebate rate on an escalating scale determined by energy savings. Reductions less than five per cent would be calculated at $50 for each percentage point. A $100 rebate would be paid per point for additional design elements leading to 25 per cent or greater energy savings.
The program will again provide minor rebates on a scratch and win system for qualifying energy savings products like certain light bulbs and programmable thermostats.
