An eligible applicant must be a resident of this Commonwealth, with a combined household income of no more than $150,000 per year. The home in which the improvements are installed must be the applicant's primary residence, and be owned and occupied by the applicant. For a Keystone HELP loan, the applicant must demonstrate good credit history and the ability to repay the loan.

 

The Keystone HELP rebates will be available for the purchase and professional installation of certain qualifying equipment, such as heat pumps, boilers, windows and doors bearing the Energy Star label. Rebate value will be 10 percent of the total project cost, up to a maximum rebate of $500.

 

Only projects completed after the program opening date of February 23 will be eligible.

 

As an alternative to the rebates, Keystone HELP low-interest loans will be available for the purchase and professional installation of the same projects qualifying under the rebate program.

 

Additionally, projects that meet the criteria for a ''whole house energy efficiency project'' will be eligible for Keystone HELP loans at a much lower interest rate. Interest rates range from 4.99 percent to 6.99 percent, and the maximum loan amount is $35,000.

 

The application forms and program guidelines are available on the Keystone HELP website. Information is also available from the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Energy and Technology Deployment, 15th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, P. O. Box 8772, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8772 or 717-772-8911.

 

For questions regarding the eligibility of projects, contact David Althoff, Office of Energy and Technology Deployment, at 717-772-8911 or send email to: residentialenergy@state.pa.us before submitting an application. (formal notice)