Alaska HFC Home Energy Rebate Program Receives National Recognition

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently announced that AHFC's Home Energy Rebate Program is one of the exceptional state-led energy-efficiency programs in the United States. ACEEE recognized a total of just 18 top programs from 14 states. AHFC's Home Energy Rebate Program received one of 10 honorable mentions awarded.

Alaska's Home Energy Rebate Program helps homeowners reduce energy costs by providing rebates toward the cost of energy-efficiency improvements. Energy ratings are required before and after improvements. Homeowners pay all costs upfront, and the rebate is paid out based on increased energy efficiency and eligible receipts. The maximum rebate is $10,000. Homeowners have 18 months to complete the program.

Dan Fauske, AHFC CEO/Executive, said, "Our calculations show people reduce energy use by about 30 percent and save nearly $1,600 a year on average. We are thrilled to be recognized for successfully rolling out this program in an extremely short timeframe. Although we had some bumps along the road, the response from those completing the program has been overwhelmingly positive."

David Terry, executive director, National Association of State Energy Offices, said, "Energy efficiency efforts are thriving at the state level in ways that most people may not be aware of today. The program winners demonstrate how state governments can implement successful, cost-effective energy efficiency programs aimed at a variety of customer types. Rather than creating unnecessary competition, these programs complement and expand upon the existing energy efficiency program landscape offered by utilities and third-party program administrators."

For its "States Stepping Forward: Best Practices for State-Led Energy Efficiency Programs" awards, ACEEE accepted nominations from programs administered by state institutions, and an expert panel then examined the field of nominations. The five winners come from different regions of the country and represent exemplary models for energy-efficiency program implementation. The programs reach broadly across the economy including residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, agricultural, and transportation sectors.

To read the full ACEEE report and to review the complete listing of the state energy-efficiency programs in all three award categories, visit: http://www.aceee.org. For more information on AHFC's Home Energy Rebate Program, visit: http://www.ahfc.us/energy.