Heat pumps in Rhode Island.
Clean Heat RI pays $11,500 on the standard tier and $18,000 for income-qualified households (full project coverage). This is the largest residential heat pump rebate in the country.
Gas bills have climbed every year.
Rhode Island gas climbed from ~$1.20/therm in 2010 to $1.80/therm by 2025. A heat pump locks you off that trajectory and delivers 2.5× the heat per unit of input. Clean Heat RI puts $11,500 toward the switch on day one.
What a cold-climate heat pump install actually pays back.
A 3-ton ducted heat pump (R-32, cold-climate certified) replaces your existing heating with a single all-season electric system. The rebate stack below shows what Rhode Island pays back on day one. The red line shows what staying on your current fuel costs you over 15 years.
See the pieces of the stackThe numbers that make a Rhode Island heat pump pencil.
Four reasons your heat pump pays you back on day one.
Every rebate line, spelled out.
Current 2026 rebate amounts for Clean Heat Rhode Island. Locked in at the time of pre-approval.
- Clean Heat RI standard (60% cap)up to $11,500
- Clean Heat RI income-qualified (100%)up to $18,000
- Heat pump water heater$2,500
- HEAR rebate (income-qualified, ≤80% AMI)up to $8,000
- RI Energy per-ton rebate$400-$1,250/ton
- Combined max (income-qualified stack)~$26,000+
From first call to rebate payment.
A typical Rhode Island heat pump install runs 5–8 weeks from Manual J load calculation to install commissioning.
The honest FAQ.
Actual questions that come up in the first installer conversation, answered for a typical Rhode Island homeowner in 2026.
Is Clean Heat RI really the most generous in the country?
Currently yes, especially for income-qualified households. A homeowner at 80% AMI can stack Clean Heat RI (100% up to $18,000) with HEAR ($8,000) plus RI Energy rebates, effectively receiving full coverage on typical installations. No other state offers this stacking depth.
Does Clean Heat RI expire?
The original ARPA-funded tier had a Dec 31, 2026 deadline, but the low-to-moderate income program has been refunded through RGGI proceeds and continues. Standard tier funding is subject to annual review. Apply early each program year.
What's the difference between Clean Heat RI and RI Energy rebates?
Clean Heat RI is the state program (administered by OER). RI Energy is the utility program (administered by the utility). They stack, you can claim both on the same project.
If I'm income-qualified, is the project really fully covered?
On a typical whole-home heat-pump retrofit, yes. The income-qualified stack is designed to cover the full project with no money down. Larger systems or premium equipment may have a residual balance, but the income-eligible tier is built to remove the financial barrier entirely. Your Score confirms eligibility and projects exactly what your stack covers.
Other states and programs.
Looking for the same kind of program in another state, or a different program in yours? Tap any pill to jump.
Ready to see how Clean Heat Rhode Island applies to your home?
Your Home Efficiency Score shows your exact rebate stack, across this program and every other one you qualify for in 2026.
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