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South Carolina Home Energy Rebates (HOMES and HEAR) not launched

Administered by the South Carolina Energy Office, part of the Office of Regulatory Staff, through program-approved contractors.

South Carolina's federal HOMES and HEAR rebates have not launched. The South Carolina Energy Office says they are expected to launch in 2026. HEAR will pay up to $14,000 for electric appliances and upgrades below 150% of area median income, mostly as a contractor's upfront discount; HOMES will pay $2,000 to $16,000 for whole-home projects, at any income.

source · verified 13 October 2026 · amounts in US dollars

What it pays

What the Energy Office says the programs will pay
ProgramWhoAmount
HEARHouseholds below 150% of area median income for the countyUp to $14,000 in point-of-sale rebates
HOMESAny income; higher rebates below 80% of area median income$2,000 to $16,000, by energy savings and income

What HEAR and HOMES may cover

  • Heat pumps for space heating and cooling (not replacing an existing heat pump)
  • Heat pump water heaters and heat pump clothes dryers
  • Electric panels and wiring
  • Electric stoves, cooktops, ranges and ovens
  • Insulation, air sealing, duct sealing and ventilation

The Energy Office's per-measure tables are published as images; the figures above are from its text and FAQ.

Who is eligible

HEAR
Households with annual income below 150% of area median income for their county.
HOMES
Households of any income doing whole-home efficiency work in single-family or multifamily homes.
renters
Eligible with written permission from the property owner.
heat pump replacement
Replacing an existing heat pump, even with a more efficient one, is not eligible, per DOE guidance.
stacking
Not with each other or other federal incentives on the same upgrade; weatherization and utility rebates can be used on different upgrades.

Where the application goes

Nothing to apply for yet. Sign up for the Energy Office's email updates; for urgent repairs it points to weatherization and the utility programs.

Where the application goes
If this is youApply here
South Carolina Home Energy Rebatesenergy.sc.gov
Weatherizationoeo.sc.gov

The thing most pages get wrong

A rebate calculator says moderate-income households at 80% to 150% of area median income 'can receive up to $7,000' from HEAR. The Energy Office's page gives one figure, 'up to $14,000 in rebates', and the program has not launched, so nothing can be claimed yet. Its page still says 'expected to launch in 2026'.

Do not wait on it for an emergency

The Energy Office says households 'should not use them to complete emergency energy efficiency upgrades' and points to weatherization and the Duke Energy, Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper programs instead.

Who gets paid

'In most cases, rebate payments will be issued directly to the contractor performing the work.' A do-it-yourself path for electric stoves, cooktops and ovens will reimburse the household directly.