(Photo: The logo for Oncor, who's energy efficiency programs might save you money this year in your green living projects)     

May 31, 2012    

Oncor’s energy efficiency incentive residential programs—which can put dollars into homeowner’s pockets to pay for energy upgrades to their house—are back on this year.

In 2012, approximately $27 million will go into five programs for homeowners, which is on par with last year’s funding level, according to Jeamy Molina, Oncor spokeswoman.

What does this mean for you as a homeowner interested in the prospect of living green in Dallas Ft. Worth or elsewhere in Texas? Simply put, if you need more insulation in your attic, your duct work sealed or other home energy efficiency measures, check out this program and see if you can get part of it paid for.

Funds are going quickly, however, and once the money is gone, the programs will end until next year, said Barbara Yager, vice president with Energy Misers of Mansfield, one of more than 200 local contractors who signed up for the program.

Funding is now available for Oncor’s home energy efficiency program, while the low-income weatherization program starts in June, Molina said. Both programs use third party contractors, who seal duct work, weatherize doors, blow in insulation and provide other house energy upgrades.  The start date for Oncor’s home performance with Energy Star products incentive is still being scheduled.

Oncor’s solar program, which provides money to help offset the cost of installing a solar photovoltaic system has been so popular it is already sold out for the year, but homeowners can still get on a wait list for future funding, Molina said.

“People who were able to get the incentives this year for solar were on a wait list in previous years,” she said. “We are looking into seeing if there is the possibility of keeping this program going this year because it is so popular, but there’s no guarantee.”

Funding for the Energy Audit program also has already been used for the year.

The efficiency programs, which were mandated by the Texas legislature, are funded by a small monthly fee built into the wholesale electric rate of customer’s throughout the state. Started in 2002, the Oncor program has helped 342,306 customers and saved enough energy to run 50,481 homes for a year, Molina said.

All-electric houses will get higher incentives than those that use gas for heating, said Steve McCrann, owner of A Better Insulation in Arlington, who plans to work on a couple hundred homes this year using the incentive program. Older homes that may have little or no insulation will get more incentive money passed to them in order to get up to the recommended R30 value, which is around 12 inches on insulation, he said.

The reason for the energy efficiency programs, which also include incentives for commercial buildings, is a mandate by the Texas legislature for all electric distributors to lower the energy demand on the electric grid. The current mandate is for utilities to offset 20 percent of their growth in electricity generated by energy efficiency measures

The programs statewide have been successful, with the actual demand reduction of energy consumption more than double the goal for 2010, according to the latest figures available from the Public Utility Commission.

To find out more about the program and get a list of third-party local contractors, go to Oncor’s website, www.TakeALoadOffTexas.com, or call 866-728-3674. Contact at least three contractors, asking about pricing and services. Contractors are not required to pass the funding for the home energy efficiency program onto their customers, but many do. 

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