The federal tax credits shifted, MassSave adjusted its heat pump rebate cap, R-410A got delisted, and a few states added new programs. Here's the plain-language version of each change and what it means for a homeowner deciding what to do this year.
Get my reportThe One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, ended the 30% federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and the 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit for cash and loan purchases completed after December 31, 2025.
For most homeowners, this removed the $2,000 federal heat pump credit and the 30% federal solar credit from the stack. State and utility rebates are unchanged. They remain the primary incentive for 2026 and beyond.
Third-party owned solar systems (leases and PPAs) still access the commercial Section 48 ITC. The installer captures it and passes the savings through as lower monthly lease payments. Worth modeling both buy and lease quotes if you're going solar in 2026.
For 2026, MassSave restructured its heat pump rebate. Whole-home is now $2,650 per ton with an $8,500 maximum, down from the prior $10,000 cap.
Partial-home rebates are $1,125 per ton with a $5,000 max. A $500 sizing bonus still applies when heat pumps are properly sized (90-120% of heating load per the standard Manual J calculation). Income-qualified households (60% State Median Income) still access the enhanced incentives up to $16,000 total, and moderate-income households (60-135% SMI) receive expanded benefits.
MassSave, Clean Heat RI, NHSaves, Efficiency Maine, Efficiency Vermont, and Energize Connecticut all removed R-410A heat pumps from their qualified-products lists effective January 1, 2026.
Only systems using next-generation refrigerants (R-32 or R-454B) qualify for rebates now. The change happened because R-410A has a high global-warming potential; the EPA's AIM Act phase-down required the switch.
Some contractors still have R-410A inventory in 2026. If you get a heat pump quote, always ask what refrigerant the proposed system uses before signing. An R-410A install means forfeiting the entire rebate stack, often a $6,000-$11,000 difference.
Rhode Island's flagship heat pump program raised its rebate tiers for 2026.
The standard (market-rate) rebate is now up to $11,500. Income-qualified households can stack up to $18,000 across Clean Heat RI plus HEAR (the federal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate program, which Rhode Island launched first in New England in September 2024). Clean Heat RI is now the most generous standalone heat pump rebate in New England by standard tier, ahead of MassSave's $8,500.
A regional point-of-sale bonus program administered across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.
Qualifying installations receive an additional $650+ bonus applied directly at the time of sale, on top of state utility rebates. The Accelerator is funded through Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative credits and is expected to run through at least 2028. Eligibility mirrors the state-level heat pump programs, so any install already qualifying for MassSave, Clean Heat RI, NHSaves, Efficiency Maine, or Energize CT is eligible for the Accelerator bonus automatically.
Vermont raised its weatherization rebate ceiling to 90% of project as a limited-time 2026 incentive, up from the prior 50-75% tier.
The goal is to accelerate envelope upgrades ahead of heat pump installations; Vermont's cold climate makes weatherization the highest-return prerequisite. The 90% tier is scheduled to run through the end of 2026, with final figures tied to the Vermont Public Utility Commission's annual budget review. If you're in Vermont and considering insulation or air sealing, 2026 is the year to do it.
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