Energy Efficiency/Demand Side Management Programs
Inter-County Energy offers the following Demand-Side Management Programs, Services, Rebates, and Incentives to assist our members in saving energy while living comfortable in the process. Contact the Member Services Department for further details on the changes. Incentives are available to those members that meet certain requirements when weatherizing their home, building a new home, or changing out their old resistance type of heating. It is recommended that you check with Inter-County Energy member services personnel before purchasing any equipment to insure they qualify. Inter-County Energy does not in any way constitute a warranty expressed or implied or guarantee any products or specific energy savings. Click above for information on rebates and incentives.
Demand Side Management Program list for 2025
Energy Audit Program: This service provides the member with an energy analysis of their home, while offering recommendations and tips for improving the efficiency of the home. This is a FREE service provided to Inter-County Energy members.
Touchstone New Construction Program: Touchstone New Construction Program (Heat Pump and Geothermal) The Touchstone Energy Home standards are designed to provide homeowners superior comfort and energy savings. Following these guidelines and working closely with an Inter-County energy advisor will help you achieve the most out of your new home. Home will meet 2009 IECC code requirements. Please see an energy advisor for more details. The program process is as follows:
1. Contact Inter-County Energy’s Member Services Department.
2. A pre-drywall inspection (Complete thermal bypass checklist including slab) must be performed.
3. A final inspection and testing of the amount of outside air infiltration is determined.
4. Note: Efficiency rating of heat pumps will be required to be 15.2 SEER and 7.8 HSPF.
5. Other requirements: Attic insulation will require R-44. NO gas appliances except for dual-fuel HVAC.
The house must be completed before a blower door test can be performed to verify that the house meets the standard. Additional savings may be accomplished by participating in our Demand Load Control program. The maximum amount of the incentive is $750 and will depend on what method is used, Prescriptive or Performance. The home is to be total electric with the exception of fireplaces with gas logs.
Heat Pump Retrofit for Stick-Built and Manufactured Homes: Replacement of resistance heat is required such as baseboard, ceiling cable, electric furnace, or an ETS/Electric Thermal Storage to be eligible for an incentive. If you are replacing your existing resistance heat source while meeting the specifications for Geothermal (meeting ARI-325 standards), Air-Source Heat Pump or a Mini-Split Heat Pump, it will make you eligible for an incentive. There are currently different levels of incentives available based on the SEER and HSPF of the new heating/cooling system. Ductwork is encouraged to be sealed to less than 10%. Geothermal systems must have closed loop systems. New Manufactured homes are eligible and have no minimum zone requirement.
AHRI Rating Incentives
| 14 SEER, 8.0 HSPF/15 SEER, 8.5 HSPF or higher | $500/$750(These ratings will be phased out after 7/1/2024.) |
| Split System (New Standard) =14.3SEER2/ 7.5HSPF2 | $500 |
| Split System (New Standard) =15.2SEER2/ 7.8HSPF2 | $750 |
| Mini-split system rebates listed below include one outdoor unit to qualify. | |
| Heat Pump Mini-Split-1 indoor head unit | $250 |
| Heat Pump Mini-Split-2 indoor head units | $500 |
| Heat Pump Mini-Split-3 indoor head units | $750 |
Loan Program: Available to qualifying Inter-County Energy members to be used for installing geothermal and air-to-air heat pump equipment in their homes. Loans are available up to a maximum of $10,000.00 for a maximum term of 5 years. For more information on the loan process and current rate, please contact Morgan Janssen at 859-936-7821.
Button Up Weatherization Program
An incentive is available to residences that currently have or are in the process of installing electric heat as the primary heating source and are improving and upgrading attic insulation levels. To qualify, the residence must be a minimum of 2 years old and have a heat gain/heat loss analysis performed prior to improvements being made. A heat loss reduction will be determined by Inter-County Energy personnel. The typical Air Sealing portion of the Button Up incentive could include caulking, improved window, and door seals, etc. The HVAC duct sealing portion of this program can be utilized to air seal HVAC duct systems located in un-heated spaces. Air sealing ducts with traditional mastic sealers is an effective way to lower energy costs. For homes that have two or more separately ducted heat systems, each system will qualify independently for the incentive. Check out videos on You Tube on installing insulation and the use of infrared cameras.
Incentives: The air sealing and ceiling insulation portion of the Button Up incentive will pay a total payment of $40 per thousand btuh reduced to the retail member up to the maximum rebate incentive of $750. The HVAC duct sealing portion of the Button Up program will pay a $400 incentive to residential members (or their contractor) that meets the eligibility requirements for duct sealing listed above. To receive this incentive an Inter-County Energy representative must perform a “pre” and “post” blower door test to measure actual BTUs reduced. The Button-Up Level One with air-sealing maximum incentive is $750.
CARES Program (Community Assistance Resources for Energy Savings Inter-County Energy’s Community Assistance Resources for Energy Savings (“CARES”) Program provides an incentive to enhance the weatherization and energy efficiency services provided to its members by the Kentucky Community Action Agency (“CAA”) or by Kentucky’s non-profit affordable housing organizations (“AHO”). InterCounty Energy’s program has two primary objectives. This program will enable the CAA and AHO’s to accomplish additional energy efficiency improvements in each home. Second, this incentive will assist the CAA and AHO in weatherizing more homes. This is a partnership between Inter-County Energy, CAA, and any AHO.
Demand Load Control/Simple Saver Program/Thermostat: For allowing Inter-County Energy to control the Central A/C system or thermostat in your home, the member will receive a bill credit once a year. The DLC Program is available to homeowners or members in the service area of InterCounty Energy and will include the following in order to qualify. A/C or heat pumps will receive a $20 credit on their bill in September and a sign-On Bonus of $10 will be provided for new participants that install a load control switch. Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT): Any “Smart” thermostat purchased after March 2, 2019 is eligible to participate and will receive a $10 sign-on bonus and a $100 incentive which will applied to the account. If you are already participating in the Simple Saver Switch Program with an a/c switch, you will not be permitted to participate in both. A list of the eligible thermostat brands that qualify for the program/incentive are available by contacting Inter-County.
PrePay or Pay As You Go Metering: With the Prepay Service Program (“Prepay”), residential members may purchase electricity before they use it. Prepay residential members avoid paying deposits, late fees, collection fees and/or reconnect fees. Prepay provides members the chance to become more aware of energy usage and better manage energy consumption.
Levelized Billing Program: Inter-County Energy offers a Levelized Billing Program for residential members that will ease the burden of high bills and allow you to pay an average bill each month. Levelized billing is based on a rolling average number of kilowatthours used in the past 12 months. This means that the payment amount will be only slightly different each month. Members’ accounts can be set up on levelized billing at any time the account has a zero balance.
On-Line Bill Pay: Downloading our SmartHub app will give you access to our On-Line Bill Pay system. This access will allow you pay your bill on-line and check your daily usage for more convenience. It will also allow you to manage your usage by seeing exactly what you use during the warm and cold temperatures.
It is recommended that you check with Inter-County Energy Member Services personnel before purchasing any equipment to insure they qualify for any rebates/incentives. Inter-County Energy does not in any way constitute a warranty expressed or implied or guarantee any products or specific energy savings. Please check with one of our energy advisors to see how you can qualify and further understand each program.
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