MassCEC's Clean Heating and Cooling programs offered rebates to support the installation of renewable heating, hot water and cooling technologies at facilities 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. 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:
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.
- Great option for both existing buildings and new construction
- Can reduce water heating costs and greenhouse gas emissions at your facility
- Especially cost-effective for buildings currently heating water with oil, propane or electricity
HeatSmart Mass
HeatSmart Massachusetts (HeatSmart Mass) seeks to increase the adoption of small-scale clean heating and cooling technologies in participating communities through a competitive solicitation process that aggregates homeowner buying power to lower installation prices for participants.
- Learn about the environmental and economic benefits of clean heating and cooling
- Join with your neighbors and friends to get a lower cost proposal for a clean heating and cooling system
Air-Source Heat Pumps (Closed)
Air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) can provide cost-effective and energy-efficient heating and cooling for your building’s 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 traditional electric-resistance heating.
- Individual zonal control, providing superior comfort and efficiency
- Provide both heating and cooling in a single, efficient unit without the need for ductwork
- Lowest up-front cost of any clean heating and cooling technology
- Typically more cost effective to operate than traditional cooling, as well as oil, propane, or electric heat
Automated Wood Heating (Closed)
Automated wood heating systems use wood chips or wood pellets to produce heat, much in the same way traditional boilers or furnaces use oil, propane, or natural gas. Automated wood heating systems can often integrate into existing heating systems, and can fulfill all of a building's heating and hot water needs. Systems are typically fully-automated, and require limited maintenance. Wood chip and pellet delivery is available in most parts of the Commonwealth.
- Typically installed in buildings with baseboard hot water heating, but furnace options are also available for buildings with forced air heating
- Can be more cost-effective than heating with traditional oil, propane, or electric heat
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, efficient GSHPs can provide the same amount of heating 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 compared with electric heat, oil, propane, or even natural gas heating plus highly efficient cooling
- Greatest energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions of any heating and cooling technology