Rebates

Avista Utilities Home Improvement and New Home Construction programs offer a variety of incentives for residential customers to save energy in eligible homes. Offers apply to residential homeowners in Idaho who heat homes primarily with Avista electricity. Incentives vary depending on technology and apply to existing and new homes. Interested customers should see the website for more information, including individual program requirements, specifications, and all application forms.

Idaho does not have a statewide net-metering policy. However, each of the state's three investor-owned utilities -- Avista Utilities, Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power -- has developed a net-metering tariff that has been approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The framework of the utilities' net-metering programs is similar, in that each utility's original program: (1) offers net metering to customers that generate electricity using solar, wind, hydropower, biomass or fuel cells; (2) limits individual system size to 100 kilowatts (kW); (3) limits aggregate net-metered capacity to 0.1% of the utility's peak demand in a baseline year (1996

Much of the information presented in this summary is drawn from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). For more detailed information about building energy codes, visit the DOE and BCAP websites.

The 2012 IECC is in effect for all residential and commercial buildings, Idaho schools, and Idaho jurisdictions that adopt and enforce building codes, unless a local code exists that is more stringent. Updated codes are adopted every three years by the Idaho Legislature as they are revised by the International Code Council. The most recent code took effect

Legislation enacted in Idaho in April 2005 (S.B. 1192) allows utilities and independent (non-utility) developers of renewable energy projects in the state to request financing from the Idaho Energy Resources Authority (IERA), a state bonding authority created in March 2005 by the Environment, Energy and Technology Energy Resources Authority Act (H.B. 106). The authority was created to finance the construction of electric generation and transmission projects by electric utilities. SB 1192 extended the financing opportunities to independent renewable energy producers that are not "qualifying facilities" under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA)

ThermWise is a Dominion Energy program that promotes the use of energy-efficient appliances and practices to reduce natural gas usage. Through this program Dominion Energy provides incentives for commercial and industrial customers who incorporate energy efficiency into their facilities. All equipment requirements must be met in order to participate. These rebates are for Dominion Energy customers only, Dominion does not service all of Idaho, check to confirm your service area before beginning the application. The program application and more details about incentive amounts and efficiency requirements are located on the program website.

ThermWise is a Dominion Energy program that promotes the use of energy-efficient appliances and practices to reduce natural gas usage. Through this program Dominion Energy provides incentives for home builders who incorporate energy efficiency into new construction. Builders can receive whole house rebates for building energy-efficient homes as well as rebates for new construction products. All equipment and construction requirements must be met in order to participate. These rebates are for Dominion Energy customers only, Dominion does not service all of Idaho, check to confirm your service area before beginning the application. The program application, builder participation agreement, and more

ThermWise is a Dominion Energy program that promotes the use of energy-efficient appliances and practices to reduce natural gas usage. Through this program Dominion Energy provides incentives for residential customers who incorporate energy-efficient natural gas equipment into their homes. All equipment requirements must be met in order to participate. These rebates are for Dominion Energy customers only, Dominion does not service all of Idaho, check to confirm your service area before beginning the application. The program application and more details about incentive amounts and efficiency requirements are located on the program website.

Idaho Falls Power's Energy Efficiency Loan Program offers zero interest loans for qualifying customers to purchase and install efficient electric appliances and implement weatherization measures. The program will loan up to 100% of the actual cost of eligible measures for qualifying customers.

This program is only available to customers with a good payment history with City Utilities (i.e. no outstanding current balance, no disconnects for nonpayment, no delinquencies), and who have minimum of one year payment history with the utility. There is a $25 administration charge to apply. For more information, visit the program website.

Idaho Falls Power's Energy Efficiency Loan Program offers rebates for qualifying customers to purchase and install efficient electric appliances and implement weatherization measures. This program is only available to customers with a good payment history with City Utilities (i.e. no outstanding current balance, no disconnects for nonpayment, no delinquencies), and who have minimum of one year payment history with the utility. For more information, visit the program website.

Idaho does not have a statewide net-metering policy. However, each of the state's three investor-owned utilities -- Avista Utilities, Idaho Power, and Rocky Mountain Power -- has developed a net-metering tariff that has been approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Idaho Power's net-metering tariff is Schedule 84. Systems owned or operated by residential and small general service customers must be 25 kW or smaller to participate in net metering. Large general service, large power service, and agriculture irrigation service customers may own or operate a system up to 100 kW to participate. 

In July 2013, the PUC

Idaho Power is offering a $1000 sales rebate to customers who purchase a new ENERGY STAR all-electric manufactured home and connect that home to an Idaho Power residential account. In addition, the sales consultant who sells the home will be eligible for a $200 sales bonus. 

ENERGY STAR manufactured homes are designed to be more energy efficient than standard ones because they have more insulation in the ceiling, walls and floors, better windows and doors, tighter duct systems and specially designed ventilation systems. See the program's Frequently Asked Questions section for more information, or contact Idaho Power directly.

Idaho Power offers a variety of incentives for residential customers in Idaho and Oregon.  Customers may receive a complete home energy audit (including installation of select improvements) for $99 for all-electric homes or $149 for homes with gas, propane, or other fuel sources. 

The Heating and Cooling Program offers incentives for residential customers who purchase and have installed qualifying heat pumps, evaporative coolers, and other equipment that meet program requirements. The equipment must be installed by a participating contractor.  Rebates in this program may vary according to whether the equipment is installed in new or existing homes. 

Through the Northwest

In 2019, Idaho passed H.B. 158, which provides that a homeowner’s association may not limit or prohibit installation of solar panels or collectors on any property rooftop or structure within its jurisdiction. Homeowners associations may, however, enforce reasonable rules regarding the appearance of the panels. The provisions only apply to rooftops that are owned, controlled, and maintained by the homeowner.

Idaho law also allows for solar easements. Similar to laws in other states, Idaho's solar easement provision does not create an automatic right to sunlight. Rather, the law allows parties to enter into solar easement contracts voluntarily for the

Idaho residents with homes built or under construction before 2002, or who had a building permit issued before January 1, 2002, qualify for an income tax deduction for 100% of the cost of installing new insulation or other approved energy efficiency improvements in an existing residence. Any insulation added must be in addition to, not a replacement of, existing insulation. Other energy efficiency measures that may be deducted are windows that are more energy efficient than existing windows, storm windows, weather stripping and caulking, and duct sealing and insulation.  Efficiency measures must meet or exceed the criteria for the component

The Intermountain Gas Company's (IGC) Gas Heating Rebate Program offers customers a variety of rebates for energy efficiency measures, including a whole home rebate and rebates for various appliances. More information can be found on the program website.

Kootenai Electric Cooperative offers incentives for residential customers to increase the energy efficiency of participating homes. Rebates are available for the purchase of ENERGY Star qualified clothes washers, certified homes, as well as water heaters, air-source and geothermal heat pumps, and windows. Qualified homes must have a heat pump installed according to ENERGY Star specifications. 

For more information, visit the website listed above or contact Kootenai directly.

*Note: The 2023 application period closes on October 10, 2023.

The Idaho Governor's Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR) State Energy Loan Program offers low-interest loans to fund energy efficiency projects for single-family homes in Idaho. Qualified projects include insulation, lighting upgrades, windows, weatherization, HVAC, appliances, and renewable energy. See qualifying addendums on the State Energy Loan Program website for project and equipment requirements.

All loans are evaluated by a financial institution for credit worthiness and must be secured with real estate. Consumers may choose to leverage these loans by accessing utility incentives and federal and state tax credits

Northern Lights Inc. offers a variety of rebates for the purchase and installation of energy efficient appliances and measures. A list of eligible equipment and rebate amounts can be found on the program website. Equipment and manufactured homes must meet all program efficiency standards to receive rebates. All members who receive electric service from Northern Lights qualify for incentives.  Interested customers should contact Northern Lights for more general information on the rebate process.

In 2007, Idaho enacted a bill that restructured the method of taxation for producers of wind energy from a property tax to a tax on production. The aim of this restructuring was to ease the burden on commercial wind farms in the early years of operation. In 2008, Idaho enacted further legislation to include geothermal energy producers under this method of taxation, and solar energy producers were included under legislation (H.B. 534) enacted in 2016. 

Under these policies, commercial wind, solar, and geothermal energy producers, excluding those regulated by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, are exempt from paying

Questar Gas provides incentives for residential customers to purchase and install solar water heating systems on their homes. Rebates of $750 per system are provided to customers of Questar who install solar assisted water heating systems, including pool heating. To be eligible, customers must include with their applications an invoice or receipt that shows purchase date, price, and a description of the equipment. See application and supplemental information sheet for full details.

This statute allows taxpayers an income tax deduction of 40% of the cost of a solar, wind, geothermal, and certain biomass energy devices used for heating or electricity generation. Taxpayers can apply this 40% deduction in the year in which the system is installed and can also deduct 20% of the cost each year for three years thereafter. The maximum deduction in any one year is $5,000. The total maximum deduction is $20,000.

Eligible biomass energy devices include a pellet stove or EPA-certified wood stove if:

• it is in the taxpayer's residence,
• it replaces an old wood stove that does

Idaho does not have a statewide net-metering policy. However, each of the state's three investor-owned utilities -- Avista Utilities, Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power -- has a net-metering tariff on file with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The framework of the utilities' net-metering programs is similar, in that each utility's original program: (1) offers net metering to customers that generate electricity using solar, wind, hydropower, biomass or fuel cells; (2) limits net metering to 0.1% of its retail peak demand in a baseline year (2002 for Rocky Mountain Power); (3) limits residential systems to 25 kilowatts; and (4)

Rocky Mountain Power provides incentives for residential customers in Idaho to install energy efficient equipment in their homes. Full details are available on the program website.