New York Home Energy Rebates 2026: Clean Heat by Utility, EmPower+, HEAR, NY-Sun, and What Stacks

New York Home Energy Rebates 2026: Clean Heat by Utility, EmPower+, HEAR, NY-Sun, and What Stacks

By EnergyBS Editorial Team | November 13, 2026

The Short Answer

Short Answer: In New York the largest home energy rebate in 2026 is the NYS Clean Heat heat pump incentive paid through your electric utility. A single-family home that replaces its oil, propane or gas heating with a cold-climate air-source heat pump was set to earn $10,000 in NYSEG, RG&E and National Grid territory under the rates that took effect for applications from January 1, 2026; Con Edison now pays $7,000, or $10,000 at the Weatherized Tier; Central Hudson lists $7,000 base and $12,000 Weatherized for a job that decommissions the old system. Every Clean Heat incentive is capped at 70% of project cost (85% in a Disadvantaged Community).

Income-qualified owners have a second door: NYSERDA's EmPower+, which carries New York's share of the federal HEAR rebates (up to $8,000 for a heat pump inside a $14,000 per-unit cap). The two doors do not combine for the same heat pump. Solar adds NY-Sun at the contract and a 25% state tax credit capped at $5,000. The federal 25C and 25D credits ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.

Every amount below was read from the utility, NYSERDA or program document on November 13, 2026, and the table notes which ones come from a document that may already have been revised.

Why New York Is Harder to Price Than Most States

Most states have one heat pump rebate with one table. New York has six investor-owned electric utilities running one program, NYS Clean Heat, under a shared manual, and each sets its own dollar figures. On top of that, the 2026 to 2030 program changed twice this year.

The first change came on January 1, 2026. The 2026 to 2030 Program Manual, released December 12, 2025, moved the upstate utilities (NYSEG, RG&E, Central Hudson, Orange and Rockland and National Grid) to flat per-home rates instead of per-capacity math, limited residential incentives to existing one to four family buildings, and made dual-fuel heat pumps ineligible. Con Edison already used flat rates.

The second change came on September 1, 2026, when the Weatherized Tier took effect. The March 2026 manual pushed its release to that date and said incentives would be adjusted for projects that do not qualify. The sheets that have been updated since, Central Hudson's and O&R's, show the result: a lower base rate and a higher Weatherized rate for the same heat pump. The program has also said weatherization becomes a requirement in 2028.

So a quote written in August and one written today can carry different rebate figures for the same house. That is the reason this page shows both the January 2026 rates and the current sheets where we could read them.

NYS Clean Heat by Utility: The Table

This is the asset to bookmark. It shows single-family figures for a full-load cold-climate air-source heat pump (ccASHP), the same job with the old fossil system decommissioned, a ground-source retrofit, and finishing a partial system to full load. "DAC" means a Disadvantaged Community as defined by New York's Climate Justice Working Group.

Read the table with three cautions.

The NYSEG, RG&E and National Grid rows predate the Weatherized Tier. Their newest sell sheets, posted in August 2026, are image files we could not read as text, and the program's own materials page says the New York City and upstate sheets are being revised. The September 2026 pattern at Central Hudson and O&R was a base rate below the January figure and a Weatherized rate above it. Expect the same shape in your quote and ask for the current figure in writing.

O&R's Category 2B is labelled two ways. The incentive table calls it "ccASHP: Full load heating," and the same sheet's equipment list ties Category 2b to air-to-water heat pumps. Ask the contractor which line your system is filed under, because the gap is $3,000 at the base rate.

Small homes earn less. Apartments and single-family homes under 1,000 square feet have their own, lower lines. At Central Hudson, for example, the small-home figures are $2,000 / $4,000 for full load and $3,500 / $6,000 with decommissioning. At Con Edison an apartment gets $3,500 standard or $5,000 Weatherized for full replacement.

Heat pump water heaters

A heat pump water heater earns $1,250 at the five upstate utilities (one per customer at Central Hudson and O&R). NYSEG offers it as an instant code at Lowe's or Home Depot or as a mail-in rebate. Con Edison's midstream offer in the December 2025 table was $1,000. National Grid stopped paying the distributor-level HPWH incentive in 2026 but still offers it through big-box retail partners.

Who cannot use Clean Heat

NYSEG states that natural gas-only customers are not eligible, because the incentive comes from electric ratepayers. Replacing a full-load heat pump with another full-load heat pump does not qualify. Dual-fuel systems, where a gas furnace stays as the cold-weather backup under automatic control, are not eligible for the 2026 to 2030 program. And since January 1, 2026, residential incentives apply only to existing buildings with one to four units; new construction is limited to ground-source and HPWH in narrow cases.

The Percentage Cap Decides More Rebates Than People Expect

Every Clean Heat incentive is capped at 70% of the project cost, or 85% in a Disadvantaged Community. Con Edison and RG&E print this on their materials. The cap only binds on low quotes, but low quotes are common for ductless systems.

The break-even is simple: divide the table amount by 0.70. A $10,000 incentive needs a project of at least $14,286 to be paid in full outside a DAC, and $11,765 inside one ($10,000 / 0.85). If a contractor quotes $9,000 for a whole-home ductless system and promises a $10,000 rebate, the arithmetic says the most the program can pay is $6,300.

EmPower+ and HEAR: The Income-Qualified Door

NYSERDA runs New York's income-qualified retrofit program, EmPower+, and it is where New York put its federal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) money. NYSERDA's IRA FAQ lists the HEAR amounts per dwelling unit:

The FAQ says HEAR in EmPower+ is open to owners of one to four unit buildings with household income below 80% of Area Median Income, that rebates are not retroactive, and that HEAR funds can be combined with ratepayer and other state funding inside EmPower+. Its own example is up to $10,000 of ratepayer funding plus up to $14,000 of IRA funding on one home. NYSERDA's EmPower+ page, read November 13, 2026, adds the program's order of work: it serves income-eligible owners and renters of one to four family homes, puts insulation, air sealing, health and safety items and old refrigerators first, and lets contractors recommend heating and cooling equipment once a home is already sealed and insulated. It says HEAR money expands the incentives with per-improvement limits, but prints no dollar amounts. Our EmPower+ program entry covers the low-income and moderate-income tiers.

Two rules narrow this in 2026.

One heat pump, one funding source. The NYSERDA FAQ is direct: a customer cannot receive heat pump incentives through both NYSERDA and NYS Clean Heat, and HEAR funds cannot be braided with Clean Heat. An income-qualified household chooses one path for the heat pump. EmPower+ can still fund insulation and electrical work while the utility pays for the heat pump only if the program team confirms that split for the specific project.

The federal fuel-switching change. DOE Program Notice 26-2, effective May 29, 2026, limits HEEHR (the federal name for HEAR) heat pump rebates to upgrades from existing electric equipment and to new construction. A launched state has three months to adopt the notice unless DOE grants more time. New York's FAQ predates the notice and said the initial rollout prioritized homes heated by electric resistance or delivered fuels such as oil and propane. Whether an oil-to-heat-pump job can still draw the $8,000 HEAR heat pump rebate in New York today is a question for NYSERDA, and we found no NYSERDA statement on it. Our heat pump rebates by state guide explains the notice, and the HEEHR income limits guide explains the 80% and 150% AMI tests.

HOMES in New York

NASEO's launch tracker, updated September 30, 2026, lists New York's HOMES whole-home rebate as launched with no date given. The federal rules for HOMES are in our HOMES program entry: savings-based rebates for projects that cut modeled energy use by at least 20%. We could not find a New York HOMES application route on a NYSERDA page, so do not count HOMES money until NYSERDA or your contractor shows you one.

NYSERDA Comfort Home and the Weatherized Tier

NYSERDA's Comfort Home program has funded packaged insulation and air sealing work for market-rate homes. NYSERDA's Comfort Home page returned an error when we tried it on November 13, 2026, so this page does not print its amounts or say whether it is taking new projects; check the NYSERDA Comfort Home page for your area.

The reason it matters more this year is the Weatherized Tier. Under the current sheets, weatherization is worth real money even before 2028:

None of the sheets we read spells out the Weatherized Tier test. Ask the contractor what documentation the utility needs (a blower-door result, attic R-value, photos) and get it before installation day. The home energy audit and rebate documentation checklist lists what an assessor records.

The decision rule is short. If attic and air sealing work costs less than the Weatherized bonus, do it first. If it costs more, it is still worth pricing, because a tighter house needs a smaller heat pump, and on Clean Heat's flat rates a smaller system earns the same incentive.

Solar: NY-Sun and the State Credit

Solar is the one area where New York still offers a state tax credit. The Solar Energy System Equipment Credit is 25% of qualified expenditures, limited to $5,000, for a system at your principal residence in New York, claimed on Form IT-255. It is nonrefundable and carries forward up to five years.

NY-Sun pays its incentive through the installer, who takes it off the contract price and must show it in the contract. The rate depends on project size, region and which capacity block is open, and it steps down as blocks fill. Our New York solar panel cost guide has the installed prices, block rates and payback math, so it is not repeated here.

The federal 25D credit, 30% of the system cost, is gone for any system placed in service after December 31, 2025. A quote that still shows it is out of date.

Federal Credits That Ended

Work placed in service in 2025 is still claimed on the 2025 return with Form 5695. The 25C vs 25D guide covers that case.

Stacking Table: What Combines in New York

Two general rules from the state energy rebate stacking guide apply here as well: the same dollar of cost cannot be paid twice, and a rebate that lowers your cost lowers the base for any percentage credit taken after it.

Worked Example 1: Upstate Oil-Heated Home

A 1,900-square-foot single-family home outside Syracuse, served by National Grid, heats with a 25-year-old oil boiler. The household earns well above 80% of AMI, so EmPower+ does not apply, and the home is not in a DAC. The owner wants to remove the oil system entirely.

The hypothetical quote is $24,000 for a ducted cold-climate air-source heat pump sized by Manual J, plus a $3,800 heat pump water heater, with the oil tank and boiler removed.

What changes the answer:

• If National Grid's current sheet follows the Central Hudson pattern, the base figure for this job could fall and the Weatherized figure rise. On Central Hudson's numbers it would be $7,000 base or $12,000 Weatherized. At $7,000 the net rises to $19,550; at $12,000 it falls to $14,550. That $5,000 swing is the reason to ask about the Weatherized Tier before signing.
• If the household earned under 80% of AMI, EmPower+ could fund the work instead, potentially at no cost to a low-income owner, but only one of EmPower+ or Clean Heat can pay for the heat pump, and Program Notice 26-2 may have closed the HEAR heat pump rebate for oil homes. NYSERDA has to confirm both points.
• Running costs. EIA's October 2026 outlook puts average November to March spending at about $2,115 for oil-heated households and about $1,196 for electrically heated ones. Those are averages across different homes, not a forecast for this house, but they show why oil homes are where a heat pump pays back fastest. The winter heating cost guide converts those prices into cost per unit of delivered heat.

Worked Example 2: Downstate Gas-Heated Home

A 2,200-square-foot single-family home in Queens heats with a gas furnace and has central AC. Con Edison supplies the electricity. The home is outside a DAC and the household is over the EmPower+ income limits.

The hypothetical quote is $28,000 for a ducted cold-climate system, with the gas furnace disabled so the job counts as a full replacement. The owner also gets a $3,500 attic air sealing and insulation quote to meet the Weatherized Tier.

The Weatherized path costs $500 more here, but it buys a $3,500 envelope job for a net $500. If the envelope work came in under $3,000, the Weatherized path would also be cheaper outright.

If this owner keeps the gas furnace and adds a heat pump with integrated controls, Con Edison pays only $2,500. That keeps the gas bill's fixed charges and is the smallest rebate on the sheet, so it rarely makes sense unless the ducts or panel rule out a full replacement.

Add solar on the same roof: an 8 kW system at EnergySage's October 2026 New York average of about $22,037 earns a state credit of 25%, which is $5,509 before the cap, so $5,000, plus whatever NY-Sun block is open in Con Edison territory, taken off the contract. With no 25D, the federal share is zero.

Edge Cases Worth Checking Before You Sign

• Two-family homes. Clean Heat counts dwelling units in one to four unit buildings. Ask whether the incentive is per unit and whether each unit must reach full load.
• Ductless heads in part of the house. A system that does not carry the full heating load falls under the partial or integrated-controls lines, which pay far less. Get the Manual J and ask which category the contractor will file.
• Renters. Clean Heat requires the electric account holder and the owner to agree; EmPower+ has a renter path with landlord permission. Neither pays a tenant directly for equipment that stays with the building.
• Long Island. PSEG Long Island runs its own heat pump program for LIPA customers, outside NYS Clean Heat. Its single-family whole-house rebate is income-tiered: $4,000 market rate, $5,000 in a DAC or under 80% of AMI, $7,500 under 60% of AMI, with 2026 limits such as $98,925 (60%) and $131,900 (80%) for a four-person household. It says cost caps may apply. Check psegliny.com for ground-source and water heater offers.
• The contractor gets the money. Clean Heat pays the enrolled contractor, who passes it through. The net price must be on the contract. Our NYS Clean Heat entry walks through the claim, and the heat pump quote comparison worksheet lines up two bids on the same scope.
• Scams. Nobody from NYS Clean Heat or NYSERDA sells door to door. See how to avoid heat pump installation scams.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the NYS Clean Heat rebate in 2026?

It depends on your electric utility, your home size, whether you are in a Disadvantaged Community and, since September 1, 2026, whether you meet the Weatherized Tier. For a single-family full replacement it ranges from about $4,000 base at Central Hudson and O&R to $10,000 at NYSEG, RG&E and National Grid under the January 2026 rates, and $7,000 to $10,000 at Con Edison. Ground-source retrofits earn $15,000 to $30,000 or more.

Can I get NYS Clean Heat and EmPower+ for the same heat pump?

No. NYSERDA says customers cannot receive heat pump incentives through both NYSERDA and NYS Clean Heat. Choose the one that pays more for your project.

Is the New York HEAR rebate open?

NYSERDA delivers HEAR through EmPower+ for owners of one to four unit buildings below 80% of AMI, with up to $8,000 for a heat pump and $14,000 per unit. Since DOE Program Notice 26-2 took effect on May 29, 2026, HEAR heat pump rebates are limited to replacing electric equipment, so ask NYSERDA whether a fossil-heated home still qualifies.

Is there still a federal tax credit for heat pumps or solar in New York?

No, not for 2026 installs. The 25C and 25D credits ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.

What is the New York solar tax credit?

25% of qualified expenditures for a system at your principal residence, up to $5,000, claimed on Form IT-255, with a five-year carryover.

Does a gas-only customer qualify for Clean Heat?

No. NYSEG states that natural gas-only customers are not eligible; Clean Heat is funded by electric ratepayers, so you need to be an electric customer of a participating utility.

What is the Weatherized Tier?

A higher Clean Heat incentive for homes that meet the program's weatherization standard, in effect since September 1, 2026. On the current sheets it adds $3,000 at Con Edison and $4,000 to $5,000 at Central Hudson and O&R. Weatherization becomes a program requirement in 2028.

Related Reading

• Home energy rebates by province and state, 2026
• NYS Clean Heat program entry
• NYSERDA EmPower+ program entry
• HOMES rebate program
• HEEHRA home electrification rebates
• Solar Panel Cost in New York 2026
• Heat Pump Rebates by State 2026
• State Energy Rebate Stacking Guide
• IRA Energy Tax Credits After 2025
• Cold Climate Heat Pump Performance Data