MassCEC's Clean Heating and Cooling programs offered rebates to support the installation of renewable heating, hot water and cooling technologies at buildings across the Commonwealth from 2013 to 2019. These technologies are generally more cost-effective to operate than traditional systems and reduce a building’s carbon footprint, all while maintaining a high level of comfort for its occupants. Due to funding constraints, the programs are now closed to new applications. However, program information remains below so that you can learn about the technologies, find designers and installers, and learn about other incentives for deploying these technologies in your projects.
Programs:
Variable Refrigerant Flow and other Air-Source Heat Pumps (Closed)
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems and other types of air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) and can provide cost-effective and energy-efficient heating and cooling for your building space. While traditional systems burn fuel to create heat, a heat pump instead works by moving heat into or out of a space. Though they require electricity to operate, efficient ASHPs use 40-70 percent less electricity than electric-resistance heating and can provide significant cooling savings.
- Individual zonal control, providing superior comfort and efficiency
- Provides both heating and cooling, with or without ductwork
- Lowest up-front cost of any clean heating and cooling technology
- Typically more cost-effective than oil, propane, or electric (resistance) heating
- Typically more cost-effective to operate than traditional cooling
Ground-Source Heat Pumps (Closed)
Ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) can provide cost-effective, energy-efficient space heating and cooling, hot water, and process heat by utilizing the nearly constant temperature underground to transfer heat between the ground and your facility. GSHPs are typically the most efficient type of heat pump. Though they require electricity to operate, GSHPs are so efficient that they can provide the same amount of heat for substantially less than traditional electric heating.
- Great option for new construction, but can also replace existing forced air or hydronic heating systems
- High installation costs are offset by long-term energy cost savings, as compared to electric heat, oil, propane, or even natural gas heating, plus highly efficient cooling
- Greatest greenhouse gas reductions of any heating and cooling technology
- No outdoor equipment (except what goes underground); easy to combine with rooftop solar
Solar Hot Water (Closed)
Solar hot water systems use the energy of the sun to heat water for use in your building’s hot water system. Solar hot water systems reduce the usage of traditional water heating fuels (such as oil, electricity or natural gas) and thereby reduce the amount you spend purchasing these fuels.
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Can reduce water heating costs and greenhouse gas emissions at your facility
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Great option for both existing buildings and new construction
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Especially cost-effective for buildings currently heating water with oil, propane or electricity