EmPower+ Low/Moderate-Income Efficiency Program

EmPower+ Low/Moderate-Income Efficiency

Supports New York households with no-cost energy upgrades and major retrofit assistance.

Eligibility · United States · US-NY

EmPower+ is a NYSERDA program co-funded through the Clean Energy Fund and federal Inflation Reduction Act Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) that delivers no-cost energy upgrades and funded major improvements to income-eligible households across New York State. The program covers one- to four-family buildings and is open to both owners and renters. Eligible improvements include air sealing, insulation, heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and electrical panel upgrades. Three tiers of assistance are available: a no-cost home energy assessment, no-cost direct-install improvements completed during the assessment visit, and funding toward larger capital improvements.

Funding caps differ by income level and geography. Low-income single-family households can receive up to $12,000 upstate or up to $14,000 downstate (the New York City metro area). Moderate-income households receive cost-share coverage of 50 percent of improvement costs, capped at $6,000 upstate or $7,000 downstate. Federal HEAR stacking adds up to $8,000 for heat pump installations and up to $4,000 for electrical panel upgrades on qualifying projects, substantially increasing total available support. Income thresholds are set by county and household size, and NYSERDA operates an eligibility calculator to help applicants assess qualification before applying.

The program is administered on a rolling basis with no fixed application deadline; households apply through NYSERDA's network of approved implementation contractors. Because EmPower+ targets low- and moderate-income households rather than businesses or institutions, corporate entities and universities cannot apply. Renters can participate as long as their landlord provides necessary access and consent for improvements. The program aligns with New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals by prioritizing building electrification in lower-income communities and reducing energy burden for households with the least capacity to self-fund upgrades.