Fix First Home › United States › Maryland
Maryland: the utilities pay up to $15,000 to switch, and the federal rebates are still waiting.
Maryland’s federal home energy rebates have not launched: the state resubmitted both applications on 30 September 2026 under new federal rules. What pays now is EmPOWER Maryland, run by the utilities through 2026: up to $10,000 for a home performance project and up to $15,000 when it switches gas, oil or propane heat to a heat pump. Lower incomes get free work through one DHCD application. Here is all of it, read off each administrator’s own pages.
Updated . MEA’s programs, DHCD’s grants and BeSMART loan, BGE, Pepco and Delmarva, Potomac Edison, the Clean Energy Advantage loan and the state’s tax exemptions, with SMECO and the gas utilities in a table; see “Not covered yet” for the rest.
The short version
The federal rebates are being redone
The Maryland Energy Administration resubmitted both applications on 30 September 2026 under the federal government’s new rules. There is nothing to apply for yet, and no amounts are published.
source · verified 3 October 2026
EmPOWER pays the most for switching, until the end of 2026
BGE, Pepco and Delmarva pay up to $15,000 when a project switches gas, oil or propane heat to a heat pump, $10,000 otherwise. Pepco’s contractors must reserve rebates by 31 December 2026.
source · verified 3 October 2026
Free work below $92,470 to $106,800 for four
One DHCD application covers weatherization, EmPOWER’s limited-income upgrades and MEAP heating repairs, which has a waitlist.
source · verified 3 October 2026
Statewide
The state’s programs, tax exemptions and loans.
HOMES and HEEHR
not launched
Resubmitted on 30 September 2026 under new federal rules; no amounts published.
Where it stands →
DHCD energy grants
free
Weatherization, EmPOWER limited-income upgrades and heating repairs on one application.
Income limits →
Solar Access Program
up to $7,500
$750 per kilowatt for households up to 150% of state median income.
Who qualifies →
Tax exemptions
no sales tax
Solar, wind and geothermal equipment; solar and wind off the property tax.
What they cover →
BeSMART and Clean Energy Advantage
6.99% or 0%
Up to $30,000 from DHCD, or up to $50,000 at 0% for 24 months.
The terms →
Your electric utility
EmPOWER Maryland’s rebates come from the utility that delivers your electricity, and the current program cycle runs through 2026.
| Utility | Home performance and heat pumps | Heat pump water heater | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGE | Up to $10,000 at 75% of cost; up to $15,000 when switching to a heat pump | Up to $1,600 | Moderate incomes pay an estimated $250 to $750 |
| Pepco and Delmarva Power | Up to $10,000; up to $15,000 with electrification | $1,600 | Reserve by 31 December 2026 |
| Potomac Edison | 75% up to $10,000; up to $14,500 plus $3,000 make-ready to switch | $1,250 to $1,500; up to $2,500 replacing fossil fuel | Through 31 December 2026 |
| SMECO | Home Energy Improvement rebates averaging $3,000; up to $15,000 with fuel switching | — | HVAC instant rebates through contractors; amounts not published |
| Choptank Electric Cooperative | A 2024 law requires it to begin efficiency programs | — | Not read |
Heat pump equipment discounts are applied by participating contractors. BGE, Pepco, Delmarva and SMECO do not publish per-unit amounts; Potomac Edison lists its own, such as $1,700 off a cold-climate heat pump, or up to $4,000 when it replaces an oil, gas or propane system. Home Performance projects start with an assessment.
source · verified 3 October 2026
BGE
up to $15,000
Home Performance rebates; the most when switching from gas, oil or propane.
What it pays →
Pepco and Delmarva Power
up to $15,000
Home Performance and electrification, reserved by 31 December 2026.
What it pays →
Potomac Edison
up to $14,500
Switch-to-Electric incentives plus up to $3,000 of make-ready work.
What it pays →
Gas
A 2025 law removes EmPOWER incentives for natural gas, according to the Maryland Energy Administration, which gives no date on its page. Washington Gas still lists its rebates.
| Gas utility | What it pays | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Gas | Up to $900 for ENERGY STAR furnaces and boilers; water heaters up to $450; tune-up $100 | Under EmPOWER Maryland in 2026 |
| Columbia Gas of Maryland | No rebate program on its efficiency page | Bill assistance only |
source · verified 3 October 2026
Which income line applies
Maryland programs use four different lines. Figures are for a household of four.
| Program | Income test | Family of four | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherization (DHCD) | 60% of state median income | $92,470 | Open |
| EmPOWER Limited Income (DHCD) | DHCD’s EmPOWER table | $106,800 | Open |
| MEAP heating repair (DHCD) | 200% of poverty | $66,000 | Waitlist; next cycle 1 November 2026 |
| BGE, Pepco and Delmarva moderate income | The utilities’ table | $106,801 to $133,500 | Open through 2026 |
| Solar Access Program | 150% of state median income, from a 2025 table | $195,375 | Open to 31 May 2027 |
| HOMES and HEEHR | Not published | — | Not launched |
source · verified 3 October 2026
What closed, and what you will still be told to apply for
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) — ended for improvements after 31 December 2025. What it paid.
- Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) — ended for solar, batteries and geothermal placed in service after 31 December 2025. What it paid.
- Maryland HOMES and HEEHR — not launched; MEA resubmitted both applications on 30 September 2026. Where they stand.
- MEA Geothermal Rebate Program — $3,000 for a new system; fiscal 2026 was its final year, and the portal closed.
- MEA Residential Clean Energy Rebate Program — its page now returns “Page not found”.
- Maryland Energy Storage Income Tax Credit — ended with tax year 2024; MEA now runs a storage rebate instead.
- MEAP 2025-26 funding — fully spent; new applicants join a waitlist.
Not covered yet
MEA’s programs, DHCD’s grants and loan, BGE, Pepco, Delmarva and Potomac Edison are here, with SMECO and the gas utilities in tables. Still missing:
- The utilities’ per-unit heat pump discounts, which contractors apply but the utilities do not publish.
- Choptank Electric’s new programs and Maryland’s municipal electric utilities.
- County programs such as the Montgomery County Green Bank’s.
- The effective date of the 2025 law ending EmPOWER gas incentives, and MEA’s fiscal 2027 battery storage rebate amounts.
Questions people in Maryland actually ask
Has Maryland launched the HOMES and HEAR rebates?
No. The Maryland Energy Administration had to revise both applications after the U.S. Department of Energy changed its rules in 2026, and resubmitted them on 30 September 2026; launch depends on federal review. The appliance rebate is now called the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate and no longer pays for switching from gas, oil or propane. Maryland has published no amounts or income lines.
How much is the heat pump rebate in Maryland?
Through the EmPOWER Maryland utilities’ Home Performance programs. BGE, Pepco and Delmarva pay up to $10,000, at 75% of cost, and up to $15,000 when the project switches gas, oil or propane heating or water heating to electric. Potomac Edison pays 75% up to $10,000 plus up to $14,500 and $3,000 of wiring work for switching. Pepco’s and Delmarva’s contractors must reserve rebates by 31 December 2026.
Who qualifies for free weatherization in Maryland?
One DHCD application checks three programs: weatherization up to 60% of state median income, $92,470 for a family of four; EmPOWER Maryland’s limited-income upgrades up to $106,800 for four, for customers of six EmPOWER utilities; and MEAP heating repairs up to 200% of poverty, $66,000 for four, which has a waitlist until the next funding cycle on 1 November 2026.
Does Maryland have a solar rebate?
Yes, for lower and middle incomes: the Maryland Solar Access Program pays $750 per kilowatt, up to $7,500, to households up to 150% of state median income, $195,375 for four. The rebate must be reserved before installation through a listed contractor, and applications run to 31 May 2027. Solar equipment is also exempt from sales tax and from real property tax.
Is the BeSMART loan 4.99% or 6.99%?
DHCD’s own BeSMART page says the rate is 6.99% APR, for $5,000 to $30,000 over up to ten years, and Pepco and Delmarva show 6.99% too. BGE’s Home Performance page still lists 4.99%.
Can I still get a rebate for a gas furnace in Maryland?
Washington Gas still lists up to $900 for ENERGY STAR furnaces and boilers under EmPOWER Maryland, and Potomac Edison’s Home Performance page lists gas measures installed by a Washington Gas contractor. The Maryland Energy Administration says a 2025 law removes EmPOWER incentives for natural gas, without giving a date on its page, so confirm before you buy.