Starting early next year, Ohio consumers will be eligible for rebates of $100 to $250 to replace their outdated kitchen appliances and water heaters with newer, Energy Star-rated appliances.

 The government appliance rebate program will pay rebates to consumers who buy such appliances, and could get $100 back for qualified refrigerators, dishwashers and high-efficiency gas water heaters, $150 back for washers and $250 back for electric heat pump water heaters.

The Ohio appliance rebate program will be requiring new appliance buyers to properly dispose of or recycle their old appliances, but it doesn’t say how. If all goes as planned, the new appliances would cut annual energy consumption by 11,656,501 kilowatt-hours, or the equivalent of what it takes to power 11,000 to 15,000 homes, and 449,755 therms, or enough gas to heat 450 Northeast Ohio homes.  It would reduce water consumption by 175,652,211 gallons a year, or enough to fill more than 70 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The stimulus bill this year gave funds for the first time to an energy rebate program set up by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The appliance rebates would encourage people to replace old appliances with more energy-efficient models, and help appliance store owners spur sales.

The federal Energy Star program covers 60 product categories like refrigerators, one of the biggest household energy hogs. The Energy Star Program also includes everyday household appliances that the Energy Department says underscores the president’s commitment to make American homes more energy efficient while supporting the nation’s economic recovery. The government appliance rebate for Ohio should be in full swing with most participating states by late January 2010.

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