Anyone redeem a Homestar (Silver or Gold Star retrofit) energy rebate yet?

[alia]

We will probably be needing a new AC system, and we have already maxed out our 2009/2010 Energy Tax Credit, but I've read that another bill passed earlier this year as part of the economic stimlus package that expands the credits and rebates available for energy-efficient improvements.

Here's the most helpful article I've found so far.

Here's the full text of the bill. And the official White House release.

What I can't find is any evidence that this is actually up and running (apart from ads that pop up from my search terms). Have any of you participated in this program, as either a vendor or a homeowner? With satisfaction?

TIA!

[SleeplessMommy]

There is an exhaustive, up-to-date list of programs here:

http://www.dsireusa.org/

[alia]

That's a great resource. Thanks.

Know anything specific about Home Star/ Homestar? It's not mentioned on that page, specifically, at least not that a search turned up. I think the extra rebates in Texas are already spoken for...this may be why I can't find anything on them now.

[tigrente]

HomeStar - Close But Not Yet...

Hello -

HomeStar has not been launched yet... but hopefully its close. It passed the House earlier this year and then was about to be debated in the Senate. However, Harry Reid has now rolled the bill into a larger bill which also addresses oil company accountability and few other things. The Senate will debate the bill when they return after their summer recess.

When HomeStar was originally proposed, it had both Republican and Democratic co-sponsors. Currently, Reid is the only sponsor on the new bill. It has tremendous support from just about every related industry, with the exception of how rebates are instantly granted to homeowners, leaving contractors to wait for the check. Still, while contractors would like to see this improved, its rare to find a contractor asking to kill the bill altogether.

It will be interesting to see if a bill that has had very strong bi-partisan, industry, and public support will be able to pass before the elections, or if it will be a casualty of pre-election politics. Home retrofitting jobs are one of the few jobs that are impossible to export, while retrofitting homes is the best way to help Americans save money (as well as reduce carbon emissions, if you care about that sort of thing.)

[alia]

Thanks for that. It's exactly the info I was looking for!

LOL... heckuva first post! Welcome.