Hopkins Climate Solutions Fund

The City of Hopkins is offering incentives to residents and businesses to accelerate our transition to cleaner and more efficient energy. Leveraging electric utility rebates and federal incentives, this program will help to reduce upfront costs associated with replacing energy equipment and installing renewable energy systems.

Energy efficiency is also the first step towards prepping your home or business for electrification, or replacing fossil gas equipment and appliances with electric ones. Learn more at ElectrifyEverthingMN.org, and explore reimbursements for electrification below.

Due to a likely high demand for this program, staff will work with applicants to ensure projects are grant ready. Following the close of the application period, a lottery for the funds will be held. 

Applications for this program are now closed. 

Timeline 

• July 19: Applications open
• August 16: Zoom informational webinar
• September 5: Applications close and verified for accuracy
• September 18: Lottery is pulled and grantees are notified
• December 31: Deadline for grantees to submit final paperwork and be reimbursed

Please note: Program rebates are intended to reimburse the cost of projects that have been completed following the application closing on September 5. The program will not reimburse projects that have been purchased prior to receiving grant funds.

Available Funds

The City has set aside $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars for this program. The funds will be made available in the following categories and amounts:  

• Income-qualified Residential: $50,000
• Residential: $30,000
• Commercial and Multi-Family: $70,000

Leverage Utility Rebates

Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy offer rebates to residential and business customers to improve efficiency of energy appliances. Xcel Energy offers rebates on a variety of items such as space heating and cooling systems, water heaters, efficient lights, and weatherization. Incentives are also available for electric vehicle charging equipment and solar installations. Find out more on the Xcel Energy website. 

CenterPoint Energy also offers rebates on weatherization items which can be found on the CenterPoint Energy website, in addition to rebates for items not eligible for the Hopkins Climate Solutions Fund. 

These utility rebates should be used in combination with Hopkins Climate Solutions Fund for residents, business and property owners to get the reduce project costs. 

Explore Federal Tax Credits and Rebates

The Inflation Reduction Act includes funding for residential energy efficiency and electrification. Rebates are expected to be made available in 2024 through the State Energy Office. Tax incentives are also available now to individuals, businesses, as well as tax-exempt entities for energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy projects.

Review savings from the 2022 Federal Inflation Reduction Act to further reduce costs on these projects. Estimate your personal savings using the Rewiring America Calculator. 

The City is not responsible for any resident’s ineligibility for federal tax incentives or rebates. Applicants seeking tax credits or rebates should consult with a tax preparer.   

Eligibility and HCSF Rebate Amounts

Find more information on entities that are eligible to apply, and a list of residential and commercial and multi-family projects that are eligible for a Hopkins Climate Solutions Fund rebate on the HCSF Eligibility webpage. 

Questions?

Contact Special Projects and Initiatives Manager PeggySue Imihy Bean.