Programs: EmPower+, Residential Energy Assessments, Comfort Home
To: Contractors and Vendors
Summary: Call Center Update
Questions: Dave Friello
Enhancements to the customer/contractor support system (cases and phone calls) will be released the evening of June 26. During this update you may experience delays in reaching the support team by phone, logging into the case system, or creating a case by email.
Programs: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Incentive increase effective 7/1/2024
Questions: ComfortHome@nyserda.ny.gov or 888-406-4009
On July 1, 2024, Comfort Home will be launching revised standard package incentives. The incentive updates are meant to help with material price inflation and labor cost increases. The new incentives will apply for assessments and installations submitted for approval on or after July 1, 2024.
The 30-day prompt submission policy applies.
The customer-signed workscope must match the incentives.
Example:
June 10: Customer signs workscope with $1,000 package A incentive
July 2: Upgrade installed
July 10: Installation submitted in Compass
This job qualifies for the new incentive! This installation needs to have a revised workscope that shows the higher incentive and must be signed by the homeowner and submitted in Compass.
Please note that Compass will be offline during a system maintenance window from 7:00am to 8:00am (Eastern) on Monday July 1, 2024.
Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Appliance Vendor Contacts
Questions: Contractor Support
The Program wanted to highlight a feature of NYHEP that is available to contractors to surface and provide appliance vendor information in the event a customer reaches out to them directly. This feature is available to enhance customer service by providing timely and accurate information regarding appliance vendors.
Vendor information can be found in NYHEP under Main Menu>Enrollments, entering identifying information in the corresponding field (last name, street address, etc.) and selecting ‘Appliance’ in the Program field before clicking Search.
The vendor’s name can be found in the ‘Installer’ column. If ‘Installer’ is blank, the appliance order has not yet been placed. Results can be further filtered or sorted by Enrollment Status.
The list of participating appliance vendors is located on the Program Contacts page of the Contractor Support website, https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/program-contacts/.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Contractor Support.
Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: EmPower+ Program Manual Updates
Questions: For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.
EmPower+ Program Manual Updates
Along with the launch of the IRA Hear incentives comes an important policy change with heat pumps. Effective June 24, 2024, and in alignment with New York’s priority to ensure energy affordability for low-income households, homes that heat with delivered fuels and electric resistance heating will be prioritized for funding in the initial rollout of IRA HEAR Rebates as they present the most advantageous economic case for conversion to heat pumps. As a result, IRA HEAR heat pump incentives will not initially be available for homes with natural gas as the primary existing heating fuel. NYSERDA will continue to assess this policy and provide updates as indicated by evolving market conditions.
The program team reviewed the updated heat pump rules along with the heat pump submission process during the June 21 Single Family Residential Program webinar. A recording of the webinar and Q&A document will be posted here once available. These changes have been captured as part of Section 5.10 of the Program Manual.
If there are any questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069 or submit a case to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.
Programs: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Regional Clean Energy Hubs
Summary: Updated Income Limits for EmPower+
Questions: If there are any questions, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA.
The income limits for EmPower+ have been updated and were effective as of May 13, 2024. This round of updates only impacts the Area Median Income numbers used to determine eligibility for the EmPower+ moderate income incentive. The next round of revisions will take place in the Fall, when the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) income guidelines are updated.
These income limits are based on 2023-2024 State Median Income numbers provided by HEAP and 2024 Area Median Income numbers provided by The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The updated guidelines can be found in Section 3.4 of the Program Manual and on the EmPower+ webpage.
All websites and program materials have been updated to reflect these changes. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact 866-NYSERDA.