Geothermal Heat Pump Grant ProgramProgram Update for FY 2009: The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is pleased to announce that through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), sufficient funds have been added to the Geothermal Heat Pump Grant Program to cover all applicants who had previously been placed on the FY 2009 waitlist. As a result of both Federal Stimulus funds and proceeds generated from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Geothermal Heat Pump Grant Program was able to offer grants to over 190 Maryland residents, businesses, and local governments who installed geothermal heat pumps. Program Update for FY 2010: Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has officially changed the structure of the geothermal heat pump grant program for FY 2010 (Any grant application received after January 1, 2009 automatically falls under the new guidelines). New geothernal grant guidelines are as follows: A grant awarded under this Program may not exceed $500 per ton of cooling capacity, with maximum grant amounts of $3,000 for residential systems, and $10,000 for commercial systems. Please note that MEA is still accepting and reviewing applications placing them in order on a waitlist for FY 2010. It is the anticipation of MEA to offer grants to applicants placed on the current waitlist sometime after the start of the 2010 fiscal year which begins July 1, 2009, after new funding for Maryland’s Clean Energy Grant Programs has been approved. Performing an energy audit in coherence with a geothermal heat pump grant: It is the goal of The Maryland Energy Administration to ensure that an individual’s home or small business is as energy efficient as possible before electing to invest in a geothermal energy system. Therefore, MEA will be implementing new regulations, likely to take affect by January 1, 2010, requiring that a suitable energy audit be conducted on any residential or small business property that a qualified geothermal heat pump system will service prior to receiving a grant. As a result, anyone currently on the FY 2010 waitlist will not be required to submit proof of a completed audit to receive a grant. However, MEA strongly recommends that every grant applicant voluntarily has an energy audit performed on their property.
New Federal Tax Credits for Geothermal Heat Pumps: With the recent passage of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, qualified Geothermal Heat Pumps installed after December 31, 2008 are eligible for a Federal Income Tax Credit equal to 30% of the total installed cost. For more info please see: Federal Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy.
Eligibility Requirements To be grant eligible system must meet minimum efficiencies of: Full load minimum Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of 15.5; and full load mimimum Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.5 under rating conditions in accordance with the International Standards Organization (ISO) Standard 13256- 1 or the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) Standard 870 for ground-loop heat pumps. Applicants are encouraged to become familiar with the program terms and conditions and eligibility criteria prior to applying. There is supporting documentation required along with the application forms. Technical Information
For additional information, email meainfo@energy.state.md.us or call 1-800-72ENERGY.
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