Energize Connecticut
Statewide rebates, Home Energy Solutions assessments, income-eligible no-cost assessments and insulation, and Smart-E Loan financing for heat pumps.
Program detailsConnecticut home energy costs & incentives
Expensive electricity and cheap gas make this one of the four states where a gas furnace clearly wins on running cost — which is exactly why the financing on offer matters.
Prices pulled August 16, 2026
What energy costs here
29.38¢
per kWh, residential electricity
70% above the national average of 17.3¢. 5th most expensive of 51.
Up 34% since 2021 (7.6% a year), against 27% nationally.
$1.62
per therm, residential natural gas
$16.83 per thousand cubic feet, 2024 annual. National average $1.48/therm.
Up 5% since 2021 (1.2% a year).
Heat pump vs. gas furnace — Gas favored on running cost
Connecticut's electricity-to-gas price ratio works out at 5.3-to-1. At these prices a gas furnace is likely cheaper to run through winter. A heat pump can still win on total cost if it replaces an aging air conditioner too, or if you have solar.
Below roughly 3.5-to-1 a heat pump usually wins on running cost; above roughly 5-to-1 a furnace may be cheaper through winter. How that comparison works · run it with these rates
State averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (electricity, gas), pulled 2026-08-16. Real bills vary substantially by utility within a state, and by rate plan within a utility — check a recent bill for your own numbers before relying on any of this. The heat pump verdict above follows from these averages, so it moves if your rates differ.
What's different in Connecticut
Energize Connecticut is the statewide initiative, run jointly by the Energy Efficiency Fund, the Connecticut Green Bank, the state, and the local electric and gas utilities (Eversource and the Avangrid companies UI, CNG and SCG).
The distinctive piece is financing rather than cash: Smart-E Loans have been offered at rates as low as 0.99% for heat pump installations. In a state where a heat pump is unlikely to cut your heating bill, cheap capital is a more honest reason to proceed than a promised saving.
Home Energy Solutions assessments are the entry point to most other incentives, and income-eligible households can get no-cost in-home assessments with insulation covered in full.
Be clear about the trade-off: at Connecticut's electricity and gas prices, gas is cheaper to run through winter. A heat pump still replaces your air conditioning and cuts emissions — but if someone is selling it to you as a way to lower your heating bill, ask them to show you the arithmetic.
Check with the administrator before you sign anything. Program budgets run out, terms change without notice, and most require approval before work starts — a rebate you apply for afterwards is usually a rebate you don't get. Treat this page as a starting point for your own call, not as confirmation that you qualify. We last checked these programs on August 16, 2026.
Connecticut programs
The federal position — the same everywhere
- Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D)Ended
Ended. No credit for expenditures made after 31 December 2025.
- Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Section 25C)Ended
Ended. No credit for property placed in service after 31 December 2025.
Full detail, sources and changelog on the national incentive tracker.
Where to check for your address
- Energize Connecticut
- DSIRE — search state, local and utility programs by ZIP
- ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder
- U.S. DOE — Home Energy Rebates, by state
Your own utility is worth checking separately — utility rebates are often the largest remaining incentive and rarely appear in any central listing.
Not tax advice
Everything here is general information gathered from public sources. It is not tax, financial or engineering advice, and it cannot account for your utility, your income, your equipment or your return. Energy prices are state averages that move; program terms and budgets change without notice. Confirm anything you plan to budget around directly with the program administrator, your utility and a licensed professional before you commit money.
If you find something on this page that is out of date, tell us at minchangyi@me.com and we will correct it.
Run the numbers for your house
These open with Connecticut's average rates already filled in. Correct them from a recent bill before you rely on the result — state averages hide a lot of variation between utilities.
Guides behind these numbers
- Heat Pump vs. Gas Furnace: The Real 2026 Cost ComparisonUpfront cost, operating cost, and total cost of ownership for heat pumps vs. gas furnaces in 2026 — with the trade-offs most guides skip.HVAC · 6 min read
- Heat Pumps in Cold Climates: Do They Actually Work Below Freezing?Addressing the biggest myth about heat pumps — whether they still work in genuinely cold winters.HVAC · 2 min read
- Insulation vs. HVAC Upgrades: Which Should You Prioritize First?Before spending on a new HVAC system, it's often smarter to fix your home's envelope first. Here's how to decide the right order.HVAC · 3 min read
- The Gas-to-Heat-Pump Rebate Is Gone. The Electric-to-Heat-Pump One Isn't.DOE Program Notice 26-2 removed fuel switching from the HEAR rebates. Here's exactly what changed, who is still eligible, and what to do if your project is already underway.HVAC · 6 min read
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