Pacific Northwest Midstream HVAC and Water Heating Program
Beat the end-of-year rush and submit your claims now!
Stocking high-efficiency equipment and actively upselling high-efficiency models can improve your bottom line, reduce customer utility bills, and benefit the environment.
The PNW Midstream Program is designed to:
- Increase sales of high-efficiency equipment by reducing upfront costs
- Increase stocking of high-efficiency equipment so it is readily available to customers in emergency replacement situations
Check your eligibility by location by downloading the ZIP CODE LOOKUP TOOL here.
Download Qualified Product Lists:
Please note that ECM pump incentives are available only for commercial and residential Seattle City Light electric customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you define ADU?
ADU is an accessory dwelling unit, a separate living space within a house or on the same property as an existing house.
PSE ADU eligibility on the same site address: If the main house and ADU are separately metered, they are eligible for the rebate for PSE. If the ADU is not separately metered, additional heat pump or heat pump water heater systems will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must meet PSE’s ADU minimum requirements: ADUs must be occupied full-time, must be an additional living area independent of the primary dwelling unit with no venting from the primary dwelling, and must include a fully functioning kitchen and full bathroom.
City of Seattle’s definition of AADUs and DADUs can be found here. ADUs and DADUs can be on the same meter and must be legally permitted to be eligible for a City of Seattle rebate.
Snohomish PUD defines ADU for residential as an attached garage or basement of a one-story home. To be eligible for a rebate, it must have its own electric heat source, which can be on the same meter as the home, AND be considered a livable dwelling (i.e. kitchen, bathroom facilities, bedroom(s), etc.). Gas heat is NOT eligible.
What benefits does the PNW Midstream Program offer you as a contractor?
The PNW Midstream Program offers you a competitive advantage in the region by encouraging the sale of higher quality, higher efficiency equipment, which increases your profit margin. There are a range of incentives available for a wide variety of HVAC and Water Heating equipment, and the Program team is here to assist you in finding solutions that meet your customers’ needs.
What are the program participation requirements?
All participating contractors must simply let their distributor know they would like to participate at the time of purchase. Participating distributors will provide contractors qualifying sales information and utilities may occasionally reach out to verify installation locations. Please be prepared with address information at time of purchase.
How can I find out what distributors are participating in the program?
My distributor is not currently participating in the program. What can I do?
If your distributor is not currently participating in the program, please encourage them to contact the program implementer, Energy Solutions, at [email protected] or (503) 914-0008 for more information. Program enrollment is a straightforward process and can be beneficial for distributors, contractors, and customers.
How do I know which products qualify for an incentive?
A full list of qualified products can be found on the downloadable QPLs on this page, or by searching the following industry websites:
- The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) residential qualified product list for hybrid heat pump water heaters can be found online here: https://neea.org/resources/residential-unitary-hpwh-qualified-products-list
Manufacturer-specific qualified products lists, along with a “top seller” list based on your company’s sales data, can be made available by request. For questions on product eligibility or for support building a custom qualified products list, please contact [email protected].
Can I submit a product outside of listed specifications for an incentive?
No. Contractors are not able to submit an incentive application for products that do not meet the program’s minimum efficiency requirements.
Do all my customers qualify for this program?
Customers or contractors purchasing qualifying equipment from participating distributors are eligible for midstream incentives, provided the installation address is a current Seattle City Light or Snohomish County PUD customer.
Please use the supplied territory map and/or zip code search tool available on this page, and if in doubt, reach out to your field representative or the Program implementer.
Are there transaction limits or maximum quantities that customers can receive?
All utilities allow one incentive per address for both HVAC and Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heaters. Case-by-case exceptions may be allowed based upon square footage, presence of an Accessory Dwelling Unit or other factors. Please contact the Program implementer [email protected] to confirm eligibility for an exception. There are no limits on residential ECM pumps (City Light territory only). For additional information on customer eligibility and exceptions to quantity limits for residences, please contact the Program implementer.
What types of projects qualify for this program?
The equipment must meet or exceed the minimum efficiency requirements for retrofit and new construction designations. All equipment types, project types and efficiency designations are outlined in the incentive tables. Please note there are periodic changes to the Program. Typically, these changes occur at the end of the year and at mid-year.
With the evolution of the M1 testing standard and changing efficiency ratings of some heat pump systems, the efficiency and invoice date (prior to or after July 1, 2023) must be considered when determining the accurate incentive for projects at bid and submitted stage. Please see the question below, ‘How is the program handling the transition from SEER/HSPF to SEER2/HSPF2 ratings?’ for additional details. Existing heating equipment and fuel information is requested for all heat pump retrofit claims.
How do I qualify a project for an incentive without an address?
If a new construction project does not have an assigned address, please include the development name and lot numbers, temporary construction meter number, cross-streets, or construction permit number in the application notes. For additional verification assistance, please contact [email protected]. If all required information is not provided, program staff will follow up and this may delay reimbursement timing.
How do I submit data to be reimbursed?
To receive your incentive, the required installation address, product, and sales information must be submitted to your distributor at the time of purchase. Most participating distributor locations define a process for sales teams to submit the required information to their designated incentive processor. Your distributor will ensure that incentive application forms are available at your branch to assist with this process. Your distributor may have a process for units you purchase for warehouse/unknown customers.
When must addresses be submitted to the distributor?
Time of purchase is optimal and results in quicker incentive processing. However, your distributor may allow addresses to be submitted for warehoused units up to 6 months after purchase if within the same calendar year. Check with your distributor for details. Sales from 2022 must be submitted to your distributor by December 31, 2023, to guarantee payment.
Are contractors required to pass-through incentives to the end-use customer?
End-use residential customers are aware of the specific incentive amount and the Program has informed them to expect this incentive from contractors for qualifying equipment. Please refer to the most recent program incentive tables for pass-through values. It is very highly encouraged that you pass-through midstream rebates as an incentive to end-use customers. For Efficiency Boost and manufactured home customers, it is required that the midstream rebate get passed through to the customer.
However, the spiff is intended for the contractor and does not need to be passed through. All spiff amounts and details can be found on the contractor incentive table available on this site.
How should incentives passed through to the end-use customer be displayed on invoices?
Incentives should be itemized on customer invoices, with separate line items listed for individual incentives. The invoice should clearly state that the incentive was funded by the local utility with the incentive amount and the associated equipment. Please note – Sales of ultra-low temperature freezers have additional invoice requirements.
How long will incentives be available?
Current program incentives are in effect for sales made with invoice dates between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024. Changes to incentive levels and equipment eligibility will generally be announced by the Program several months in advance.
Does qualification of heat pumps for this program assure qualification for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives?
No. Qualification for this program is separate from qualification for Inflation Reduction Act incentives for heat pumps. We recommend your customers work with a tax professional for their specific situation. However, this FAQ from the Internal Revenue Service may help with answers to questions about energy efficient home improvements and residential clean energy property credits.
Do City Light or SnoPUD audit installations for accuracy?
Field and/or project verification is a tool used by utilities to ensure incentivized products meet minimum specifications and are installed at the address of intended installation. Field verifications are randomly selected, at a rate of 5-10% of all submissions. The utilities work directly with the contractor or end-user to verify installation and follow up with the distributor if verification fails. Verification may also include asking participating distributors to provide proof of the sale to the customer/contractor and/or the midstream incentive to the contractor in a credit memo or as a line item.
How does the midstream incentive process work for homes with oil, propane, wood, or natural gas heat?
Midstream incentives are available to contractors installing units with existing oil, propane, wood, or natural gas heat if the heat pump chosen for installation meets the minimum midstream qualifying efficiencies and the equipment is installed within the territory of a participating utility. The incentive passed through from the distributor will be based on the efficiency and type of heat pump as noted in the incentive table.
Are there additional incentives available for fuel-switching?
Additional fuel-switching incentives are not available through this PNW Midstream program. Check with the customer’s utility for any potential fuel-switching incentives.
Should the Midstream incentive be applied before or after tax?
Midstream incentives should be provided from the distributor to the contractor after tax. Please consult with both your distributor and tax accountant to confirm the appropriate way of handling the Midstream incentives for those who maintain a reseller certificate.
How is the program handling the transition from SEER/HSPF to SEER2/HSPF2 ratings?
AHRI has revised test methods for <5.4 ton air-sourced heat pumps for the Northern region of the United States for equipment manufactured on or after January 1, 2023.
Revised test methods increase alignment with federal efficiency standards, as defined by the Department of Energy. These revised test methods introduce new efficiency ratings, including SEER2 and HSPF2 ratings in place of the current SEER and HSPF ratings. Updated equipment capacity data (tonnage) is also available.
The Program will have a phased approach based on efficiency rating information available for heat pump equipment in AHRI and the distributor invoice date to accommodate this transition. Equipment only rated to SEER and HSPF will continue to be available in the market during the 2023 program year.
Additional details can be found on the Contractor Incentive Table available on this site.
How do you define ADU?
ADU is an accessory dwelling unit, a separate living space within a house or on the same property as an existing house.
City of Seattle’s definition of AADUs and DADUs can be found here. ADUs and DADUs can be on the same meter and must be legally permitted to be eligible for a City of Seattle rebate.
Snohomish PUD defines ADU for residential as an attached garage or basement of a one-story home. To be eligible for a rebate, it must have its own electric heat source, which can be on the same meter as the home, AND be considered a livable dwelling (i.e. kitchen, bathroom facilities, bedroom(s), etc.). Gas heat is NOT eligible.
Have questions or need training support?
Contact the Pacific Northwest Midstream HVAC and Water Heating Program team with questions.
(503) 914.0008 | [email protected]