Will my project qualify for a Central Hudson rebate?
Use this checklist to confirm rebate eligibility before you order equipment. All four conditions must be met.
Rebate categories
Heating
Air-source heat pumps
Whole-home and ductless mini-split air-source heat pumps. Minimum SEER 15, EER 12, HSPF 8.5 (verify current minimums). Pair with Central Hudson rebate + NYSERDA Clean Heat + federal IRA tax credit for the highest stack.
Heating
Ground-source heat pumps
Geothermal (ground-source) heat pumps. Higher upfront cost, larger rebate. Strong stack with NYSERDA Clean Heat and federal IRA 30 percent uncapped tax credit for residential geothermal.
Water heating
Heat-pump water heaters
Electric heat-pump water heaters replacing resistance electric, oil or propane. Federal IRA tax credit stacks.
Electrification
EV chargers (Level 2)
Residential Level 2 EV charging equipment, often paired with off-peak charging plans. Some programmes also rebate the installation labour. NYSEG and O&R do not run an equivalent residential EV charger rebate of comparable depth.
Envelope
Air and duct sealing
Up to a substantial rebate for whole-home air and duct sealing performed by a BPI-accredited Trade Ally. Home must be heated with electricity or natural gas.
Controls
Smart and programmable thermostats
Energy Star certified smart or programmable thermostats. Smaller dollar rebate but easy to claim and stacks with HVAC equipment rebates.
Gas heating
High-efficiency gas furnaces and boilers
Natural gas furnaces with AFUE 90+ percent; natural gas water and steam boilers (AFUE 85+ percent water, 82+ percent steam) with optional boiler reset control.
Cooling
Central air conditioning
High-efficiency central AC, minimum SEER 15, EER 12.5. Smaller rebates than heat pumps because the heating-side benefits do not apply.
Recycling
Refrigerator and freezer recycling
Per-appliance rebate with free pickup. Limit two units per year per home. Unit must be plugged in, cooling, empty and 10 to 30 cubic feet. Pickup by ARCA partner; 4-week processing.
Dollar amounts and minimum efficiency thresholds change year to year. Confirm current values with your Trade Ally or on cenhud.com before placing an equipment order.
What Central Hudson rebates offer that other NY utilities do not match
Most NY utility profile pages (Con Edison, NYSEG, RG&E, National Grid) do not feature a dedicated residential rebates page at all, because the incentives are run through statewide channels: NYSERDA for clean heat, NY-Sun for solar, and the New York EV Make-Ready programme for charging infrastructure. Central Hudson, by contrast, runs a top-up layer of utility-specific rebates that sit on top of the statewide programmes. Three angles make this matter for Mid-Hudson Valley households.
1. The heat-pump and EV-charger stack is uncommon. Central Hudson runs both an electric-side heat-pump rebate (in addition to NYSERDA Clean Heat) and a residential EV-charger rebate (NYSERDA does not run a direct residential EV-charger rebate of equivalent depth in most territories). On a single heat-pump retrofit a Hudson Valley household can stack: Central Hudson rebate + NYSERDA Clean Heat (typically the largest dollar) + federal IRA 25C tax credit (or 25D for geothermal) + the federal High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act funding flowing through the state, where eligible. The total subsidy on a $20,000 to $30,000 retrofit can be substantial.
2. Weatherization rebates run alongside EmPower NY+. The Central Hudson air-and-duct-sealing rebate stacks with EmPower NY+ (the income-eligible weatherization assistance programme run by NYSERDA) and with the federal Weatherization Assistance Program. For income-qualifying customers, full-cost weatherization is often achievable with zero out-of-pocket.
3. The Trade Ally requirement protects you from contractor scams. Trade Allies are vetted by Central Hudson for licensure, insurance and Building Performance Institute (BPI) accreditation where applicable. Going off-list usually means losing the rebate; staying on-list also means a contractor with a paper trail Central Hudson can investigate if work is shoddy. The trade-off is fewer contractor choices, which can extend project lead times during peak seasons.
If you are weighing an HVAC, water heating or weatherization investment in the Mid-Hudson Valley, the Central Hudson rebate is the layer to start the stack on. Most households over-focus on the headline NYSERDA number and leave the utility-specific top-up on the table.
How to claim your Central Hudson rebate
Pick an approved Trade Ally
Use the Trade Ally directory on cenhud.com. Get at least 2 quotes; the rebate does not protect you from overpricing on the equipment itself.
Confirm efficiency rating
Verify the equipment meets the current minimum SEER, HSPF, AFUE or Energy Star threshold. The Trade Ally will know, but ask in writing for the model number and the rating before the equipment is ordered.
Download and complete the form
Get the current rebate form from cenhud.com or from your Trade Ally. The customer fills out page 1; the Trade Ally certifies the install and signs page 2.
Mail or upload
Submit to the address on the form (or via the cenhud.com upload portal). Processing typically takes 4 to 6 weeks; the rebate arrives as a check or bill credit.
Stack with NYSERDA and federal IRA credits
For most clean-heating and electrification projects, the Central Hudson rebate is just one layer. Three other programmes can stack:
- ✓NYSERDA Clean Heat: statewide heat-pump rebate, delivered through the same Trade Ally network. Typically the largest single dollar on a residential heat-pump install.
- ✓Federal IRA 25C tax credit: 30 percent of installed cost up to capped amounts for heat pumps, heat-pump water heaters, insulation, windows and electrical-panel upgrades. Claimed on your federal income tax return.
- ✓Federal IRA 25D tax credit: 30 percent uncapped credit for residential solar PV, battery storage, geothermal and small wind. Claimed on federal taxes.
- ✓EmPower NY+ (income-eligible): NYSERDA-administered free weatherization for income-eligible households. Stacks with the Central Hudson air-sealing rebate where applicable.
A good Trade Ally walks you through the full stack before installation. Ask for a written breakdown that lists each programme separately.
Rebate-programme contact lines
| Programme | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General customer service and rebate questions | 1-845-452-2700 | Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Sat 9 to 1 |
| Residential rebates and home sealing | 1-800-515-5353 | Mon to Fri 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET |
| Refrigerator and freezer pickup | 1-866-706-3995 | Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET |
Common Central Hudson rebate questions.
Active Central Hudson residential electric or gas customers. The equipment must be installed by an approved Trade Ally (with limited DIY exceptions for thermostats and recycling pickups), must be on the eligible equipment list and must meet the current minimum efficiency rating (SEER, HSPF, AFUE or Energy Star).
Generally no. Central Hudson requires a Trade Ally install for HVAC, water heating and major weatherization rebates. The exceptions are thermostat rebates (some are submitted as receipts) and the refrigerator and freezer recycling pickup, where Central Hudson sends the contractor.
Yes. The Central Hudson utility-side rebate stacks with NYSERDA Clean Heat for heat pumps, with EmPower NY+ for income-eligible weatherization and with federal IRA 25C and 25D tax credits. Ask your Trade Ally for a written stack breakdown before install.
Typically 4 to 6 weeks after Central Hudson receives a complete rebate form signed by both you and the Trade Ally. Refrigerator and freezer recycling pickups take about 4 weeks. The rebate arrives as a check by mail or as a bill credit, depending on the programme.
A contractor vetted by Central Hudson for licensure, insurance and (where applicable) Building Performance Institute (BPI) accreditation. The Trade Ally directory is on cenhud.com; some allies hold gold or silver service rankings based on customer satisfaction. Going off-list usually disqualifies the rebate.
Not on the standard rebate amounts. There are higher-tier rebates for income-eligible households (often delivered through NYSERDA EmPower NY+), and weatherization can run at no cost for the income-qualifying tier. The standard rebates apply to all Central Hudson residential customers regardless of income.
Central Hudson runs a dedicated utility-side rebate layer on top of NYSERDA: heat pumps, heat-pump water heaters, EV chargers, smart thermostats and weatherization. Most NY utility hubs route customers straight to NYSERDA and do not run a parallel utility-funded programme of comparable depth. For Mid-Hudson Valley households, this is one of the strongest single arguments for completing a clean-heating retrofit while you live in Central Hudson territory.
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