What heat pump rebates pay in Boulder
We read the EnergySmart, state, Colorado Energy Office and Power Ahead Colorado pages on October 5, 2026. Xcel's page would not open for our reader, so its amounts come from its 2026 rebate summary, which gives October 1, 2026 as the start date.
EnergySmart income-qualified rebate
For Boulder County households at or below 100% of area median income. Covers heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, insulation, air sealing and panel upgrades. Work must be done and invoiced in 2026.
Xcel cold-climate heat pump
Counted at 5°F. Homes heated with Xcel natural gas get $1,500 per ton. A 3-ton unit earns $2,250 or $4,500.
Power Ahead Colorado
For an ENERGY STAR cold-climate air-source heat pump in an existing building. Boulder County is in the program's area, and your contractor confirms your address when they submit the project.
State heat pump discount
Taken off your invoice for an air-source heat pump from a registered contractor.
EnergySmart standard rebates
Boulder County retired its standard rebates in late 2025 to focus on income-qualified households.
State income-based rebates (HEAR)
Up to $8,000 for a cold-climate heat pump while it was open. Boulder County is in the closed Front Range region.
Federal tax credit (25C)
Ended for spending after December 31, 2025.
Working it out
A household at or below the county median that installs a $14,000 heat pump could get 50%, but the EnergySmart cap is $2,000 a year, so that line is $2,000. Add the $1,500 Power Ahead rebate and at least $333 from the state: $3,833, before Xcel. With Xcel at 3 x $750 = $2,250 the total reaches $6,083, and with the gas bonus (3 x $1,500 = $4,500) it reaches $8,333. A household above the median skips the first line, so the same job totals $4,083 without the gas bonus or $6,333 with it. These are examples, not offers.
What Boulder homes look like
The American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) counts 47,465 homes in Boulder. About 53% of households rent and 47% own. Only 39% of homes are detached houses and about 9% are in buildings of two to four units. More than half (55%) were built before 1980, and 7% before 1940. Only 18% were built in 2000 or later, the lowest share of the five Colorado cities we cover.
Renters are the majority here, so most heat pump decisions are made by a landlord or association. EnergySmart's rebate page does not say whether renters can apply, so ask an advisor. Anything fixed to the building would need the owner's agreement in any case.
What Boulder heats with
About 63% of Boulder households heat with utility gas and 33% with electricity. A third on electricity means many homes could save money from a switch, especially if they now use baseboards. If you are one of them, the standard Xcel amount applies and your savings are largest.
For gas homes, the bill saving is smaller, so the case for a heat pump rests on comfort, cooling and avoiding a gas furnace replacement as much as on the monthly bill. If your furnace is near the end of its life, that is the moment to switch.
Boulder winters
Our climate file, built from ten Januaries (2015 to 2024), gives Boulder an average January low of about 17°F and a coldest day in that period near minus 24°F. All of the programs here want cold-climate equipment that holds its output at 5°F. Ask any installer for the unit's heating output at 5°F.
How the income-qualified rebate works
EnergySmart's rebate pays half your project cost, up to $2,000 per year, if your household earns at or below 100% of the area median income. It covers heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooktops, insulation, air sealing, electric panel upgrades and cellular shades, and it works for site-built and manufactured homes. Funds go first come, first served and the work must be finished and invoiced between January 1 and December 31, 2026. The program says you can combine it with utility rebates and tax credits, and an EnergySmart advisor can tell you which ones.
Other utilities in Boulder County
Not every address in Boulder County is an Xcel address. EnergySmart's own list of other rebate sources names Longmont, Lyons, Erie, Poudre Valley REA and United Power. Check your bill, since the Xcel amounts on this page only apply to Xcel customers.
Top-rated installers in Boulder
Ranked by Google reviews (minimum five). We don't take referral fees or paid placements. Ask each one if they work with EnergySmart advisors, Power Ahead Colorado and Xcel.
How to claim Boulder heat pump rebates
- Look up your household's income against 100% of the area median income at energysmartyes.com. If you are under it, start with the income-qualified rebate, because funds are first come, first served.
- Check your bill: is Xcel your electric company, and does it also sell you your gas?
- Ask contractors for quotes showing the unit's output at 5°F.
- Pick a contractor who works with Power Ahead Colorado, Xcel and the state discount, and have them submit the project to Power Ahead Colorado before work starts.
- Finish and invoice the work before December 31, 2026 if you are using the EnergySmart rebate.
Common questions
How much can I get for a heat pump in Boulder?
It depends on income and your utility. On October 5, 2026: EnergySmart pays 50% up to $2,000 a year for households at or below 100% of area median income, Xcel pays $750 or $1,500 per heating ton, Power Ahead Colorado pays $1,500, and the state discount is at least $333.
Did Boulder County end its rebates?
It retired its standard rebates in late 2025 and kept the income-qualified ones.
Is the state's income-based rebate still open?
No. The Colorado Energy Office says the single-family program is closed, including Boulder County's Front Range region.
Can renters get the EnergySmart rebate?
Its page says site-built and manufactured homes qualify but does not say whether renters can apply, so ask an advisor. Work on the building needs the owner's agreement, so talk to your landlord first.
Can I stack the rebates?
EnergySmart says its rebate can be combined with other incentives. Power Ahead Colorado says its rebate can be combined with other rebates. Your contractor should confirm each program's rules.
What to do next
Check your income against the EnergySmart limit first, since that decides which path you are on. Then see our Boulder insulation rebate page, or the Boulder rebate hub.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 5, 2026: Boulder County EnergySmart rebates, Boulder County EnergySmart other rebates, Xcel Energy Colorado residential rebates, Xcel Energy 2026 rebate summary, Power Ahead Colorado rebate overview, State heat pump tax credit page (Colorado Energy Office), Colorado Home Energy Rebate Program. All Boulder rebates → Every Xcel Energy Colorado rebate →