The Mass Save program is Massachusetts’ all-encompassing energy efficiency program, and is sponsored by both your electric utility and energy efficiency providers. The program is available to renters, homeowners, and businesses across Massachusetts. Here’s the complete breakdown of all the different measures that you can take to reduce your energy use and resultant utility bills through the Mass Save program.
Mass Save rebates for lighting and appliances
One of the simplest actions you can take to reduce your energy use is to swap out your old, inefficient lighting and appliances for more efficient models. Mass Save offers rebates and discounts for small and large appliances, lighting, and heating & cooling systems.
Compact fluorescent (CFL) and LED light bulbs
Replacing your old incandescent light bulbs is about as simple as energy efficiency can get. While a 60-watt incandescent light bulb will last for about 1,200 hours, a comparable CFL bulb will last 8,000 hours, and LED bulbs can last for up to 25,000 hours. Assuming eight hours of usage per day, these LED bulbs can light your home for more than 3,000 days – over eight years – before they need to be replaced. More efficient bulbs come at a higher price, but you can get significant discounts on both CFLs and LEDs by buying through the Mass Save website.
Advanced power strips
Many electronics, such as your television or computer, will use some electricity even when they’re turned off. By switching to advanced power strips, you can reduce the amount of energy that’s wasted by electronic devices when they are not in use.
Advanced power strips have a “master” outlet and “controlled” outlets. When your electronic device is plugged into the master outlet and turned off, the power strip will also cut power to the controlled outlets – thereby preventing any device from drawing power unnecessarily. Advanced power strips are a great way to reduce the amount of standby power you use in your home, and you can purchase them at a discount on the Mass Save website as well.
Washers, dryers, refrigerators and freezers
If you’re using older appliances in your home, you can significantly reduce your electricity use by replacing them with new energy-efficient models. To help you out, Mass Save offers rebates for energy efficient appliances:
Appliance
Mass Save Rebate
Clothes washers
Up to $400
Clothes dryers
$50
Refrigerators
Up to $200 (plus $50 for recycling an old refrigerator or freezer)
Room air cleaners
$40
Dehumidifiers
$30
Heating & cooling equipment
Heating and cooling your home or business is one of the biggest contributors to your month-to-month energy bills. However, it can be costly to invest in upgrades to your HVAC system. Mass Save offers rebates on a variety of updates to your heating and cooling system:
Update
Mass Save Rebate
Mini-split heat pump
Up to $500
Heat pump water heater
$750
Central air conditioning and heat pumps
Up to $500
Heating and water heating equipment (oil/propane)
Up to $1,200
Heating and water heating equipment (gas)
Up to $1,600
Insulation
75% off, up to $2,000
Wireless and programmable thermostats
An easy way to cut down on your day-to-day heating and cooling costs is to install a new thermostat. You can choose a wireless thermostat, which is wifi-enabled and can be controlled remotely, or a programmable thermostat, which uses preset temperatures based on the date and time. Both options reduce the amount of energy you use when you’re not at home. Certain smart thermostats, like Schneider Electric’s Wiser Air, even have the capability to communicate with your utility directly. Mass Save offers a rebate of up to $100 to purchase a wireless or programmable thermostat. You can also purchase a discounted wireless thermostat and have it installed at no cost during your Mass Save energy assessment.
Mass Save energy assessments for your home
In addition to rebates on energy-efficient appliances and equipment, the Mass Save program offers no-cost home energy assessments for homeowners, renters, landlords, and multi-family buildings in Massachusetts.
During a home energy assessment, an Energy Specialist affiliated with the Mass Save program will come to your home and create a personalized report with energy efficiency recommendations for your property. The report will include suggestions like replacing windows or insulation, as well as upgrading to energy-efficient appliances. In addition, your Energy Specialist will install immediate energy efficiency measures like LED light bulbs, programmable thermostats, and water-saving devices at no cost.
An additional benefit of getting an energy assessment through the Mass Save program is that you gain access to the Mass Save HEAT loan program. HEAT loans offer low-cost financing that you can use for more significant energy efficiency improvements.
Mass Save HEAT loan program
There are lots of big-picture projects that you can take on to reduce your energy use, but the ones with the greatest payoff also have high out-of-pocket costs. During your Mass Save energy assessment, your Energy Specialist might determine that you should upgrade your heating or cooling system or replace the insulation or windows in your home.
Customers of National Grid, EverSource, Unitil and Cape Cod Light Compact are eligible for the Mass Save HEAT Loan program, which offers 0% financing for a variety of energy efficiency home improvements. You can borrow up to $25,000 to finance:
Heating system replacements
Domestic hot water and solar hot water heaters
Central air conditioning and heat pumps
Insulation & replacement windows
A new grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources has temporarily expanded the projects eligible for HEAT loans to include:
Central wood pellet heating systems
Deep energy retrofits
Removal of asbestos and vermiculite
Upgrading knob & tube wiring
Solar power: the best way to reduce energy bills in Massachusetts
The Mass Save program offers many different ways to reduce your energy use by making your property more efficient. However, energy efficiency can only take you so far. The most impactful way to cut your energy costs over the long term is generate your own electricity, and installing solar panels in Massachusetts is one of the best investments you can make in your home. In fact, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Massachusetts is a top 10 state for solar.
The average Massachusetts homeowner who installed solar in 2015 broke even on their investment in just five years, and their solar panels will continue to produce electricity for 20+ years. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has also created the Mass Solar Loan program, which is one of the best ways to finance a solar panel installation in the entire country.
To find out just how much you can cut your energy bills by going solar, try using EnergySage’s Solar Calculator. The Solar Calculator uses weather data, local rebates and incentives, electricity rates, and real-time prices to create a customized estimate of your 20-year solar savings. Based in Boston and backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, EnergySage offers a solar marketplace where you can get competing solar installation quotes for your property, for free. When you combine Mass Save energy efficiency measures with solar power, you can be confident that you’re maximizing your savings while living in a truly eco-friendly home.
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