What we could and could not confirm for Erie in 2026
Each card names the fact we keep on file. A card marked "Check first" means we could not read the official page, so we show no amount.
Penelec (FirstEnergy) rebates
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania's site refused our connection and its rebate portal needed a login. We list no Penelec amount. Ask Penelec before you buy.
Penn Energy Savers
The state's federal-funded HOMES and HEEHR rebates have no launch date or published amounts. DEP is revising the design after new federal guidance in June 2026.
Weatherization Assistance Program
Air sealing, insulation and heating repairs for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Apply to the agency that serves Erie County.
Net metering for solar
Systems up to 50 kW are credited at the full retail rate for the power they send to the grid. This is a policy, not a cash rebate.
PA Sunshine Solar Program
The state solar rebate stopped taking applications in 2013.
Federal 25C and 25D credits
No federal credit applies to work done after December 31, 2025.
Figures for Penelec do circulate online, usually $500 for a heat pump. Third-party sites tie them to a round that ended on May 31, 2026, and we could not check what replaced it, so we do not repeat them.
Why this page is short
A rebate page that lists numbers we could not read would be worse than no page. Penelec's pages did not load, and the portal that carries its rebates asked for a login, which we do not use. We also could not confirm what the gas utility offers Erie homes. When Penelec publishes a current list we can read, we will add it with the date.
Erie's housing is detached and old
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) counts 43,681 homes in Erie. Detached houses are 60.7% of them, the highest share of our four Pennsylvania cities, and attached rowhouses are only 3.6%. Buildings of two to four units make up 21.6%. Erie also has the oldest stock by the broad measure: 88.6% of homes were built before 1980, 39.2% before 1940 and only 3.2% from 2000 on.
A detached, old house loses heat through walls and roof on all sides, which is why weatherization matters here more than in a rowhouse city.
Gas is the main heat
Utility gas heats 84.4% of Erie households, the highest of our four cities. Electricity heats 11.0%, bottled gas 1.7% and fuel oil 1.1%. With so few electric-heat homes, the big heat-pump savings story is smaller here. For most Erie homes the better first step is air sealing and insulation, which cut gas use whatever you burn. Ask whoever sells you gas whether it offers a program for your equipment.
Renters and owners
Owners are 54.1% of households and renters 45.9%. If you own, you are the person who can apply for weatherization and sign for a contractor. If you rent, the weatherization program asks for a landlord's sign-off.
Cold, lake-side winters
Erie's average January low is about -4.7°C (24°F), and the coldest reading in our ten years of data was -23.4°C. That is colder than Philadelphia and close to Allentown. Whatever you install, ask for a cold-climate rating on heat pumps and a plan for the coldest nights.
How to proceed without a utility rebate
Ask the questions that cost nothing. Call Penelec and ask what residential rebates are open and what dates apply. Check the weatherization limits for your household size on the state page. Join the update list on pennenergysavers.com. And keep every paid invoice, in case a program reopens with a start date that covers your work.
Every rebate guide for Erie
Top-rated installers in Erie
Ranked by Google reviews (minimum five). We don't take referral fees or paid placements. Ask each installer whether they can file Penelec rebate paperwork before you sign.
What to do in Erie
- Ask Penelec what residential rebates are open today and what dates apply.
- Check your household income against the weatherization limit for your size.
- Apply to the weatherization agency that serves Erie County if you qualify.
- Get quotes with model numbers and keep every paid invoice.
- Join the update list on pennenergysavers.com for the state program.
Common questions
Does Penelec pay a heat pump rebate in Erie?
We could not confirm. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania's pages did not load on October 5, 2026, and its rebate portal needed a login. We list no amount.
Is there free help in Erie?
Yes. Pennsylvania's Weatherization Assistance Program is free for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, with priority for older adults, people with disabilities, families with children and high energy users.
When will Penn Energy Savers open?
The state has not said. DEP says it is revising the design after new federal guidance from June 1, 2026, and it publishes no launch date or amounts.
Is there a solar rebate in Erie?
No cash rebate. The PA Sunshine program closed in 2013 and the federal credit ended after 2025. Pennsylvania credits solar exports at the retail rate for systems up to 50 kW.
Is the federal heat pump credit available?
No. Federal credits for heat pumps, insulation, solar and batteries ended for spending after December 31, 2025.
What to do next
See the Pennsylvania solar page, the battery page, or run the Pennsylvania rebate calculator. For a city with a full set of verified offers, look at Allentown.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 5, 2026: Pennsylvania DCED: Weatherization Assistance Program, Pennsylvania DEP: Inflation Reduction Act programs, Pennsylvania DEP: solar for residents, Penn Energy Savers, US Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates 2020 to 2024. All Erie rebates → Every Pennsylvania rebate →