More than 26,000 homeowners and businesses have snapped up about $11 million in state rebates for energy-efficient appliances and home improvements since the "Recharge Colorado" program began April 19.
Mike Smith of Greeley got a $50 rebate, equal to a 13 percent discount, on his new dishwasher. Franktown resident Arthur Lowry is set to get a $3,000 rebate on his $10,000-plus solar water heater.
"When we sold our house in Colorado Springs and moved to Greeley, we needed to get new appliances, so this worked out really well," Smith said.
All the rebates for dishwashers and solar hot-water systems are gone — as are those for refrigerators, clothes washers, tankless gas water heaters and photovoltaic solar panels.
There are, however, still 38,481 rebates for a number of energy-saving items, including insulation, duct sealing, energy audits and residential windmills.
"We are very pleased with the response," said Todd Hartman, a spokesman for the Governor's Energy Office, which runs the program. "We just want people to know there are still some rebates available."
The $18 million Recharge Colorado program is part of $300 million in federal economic-stimulus funding.
People can apply by phone or online and are given a "reservation" for 10 to 30 days — depending on the type of rebate — to buy an appliance or contract for work. Then, they file with the state for the rebate.
Of the more than 26,000 reservations to date, 10,552 claims worth $4.8 million have been processed, according to state data.
Residents of 59 of Colorado's 64 counties have participated in the program.
Jefferson County homeowners received the most rebate money by the end of June — $200,500, or about as much money as Boulder and Denver counties combined.
There were single $50 refrigerator rebates in Ouray and Rio Blanco counties.
Colorado Springs Utilities combined its own rebates with the state's to boost its program, said Gabriel Romero, a spokesman for the utility. El Paso County had the second-highest payout, $117,000.
The program is the first to offer rebates statewide. It is also the first to offer incentives for solar water heaters.
"It is a boost for a really good technology," said Jim Burness, chief operation officer of SolSource, the Denver-based company installing a solar hot-water system at the Lowry home.
The system is designed to cut water-heating costs by 90 percent in the summer and 50 percent in the winter, Burness said. Between the rebate and a 30 percent federal tax credit, the system should pay for itself in 12 years.
Mark Jaffe: 303-954-1912 or mjaffe@denverpost.com
