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South Dakota Appliance Rebates

For more information, download the South Dakota state appliance program fact sheetPDF.
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Spotlight on South Dakota - See our Program Impact.

THIS PROGRAM IS CLOSED. AS OF APRIL 12, 2010, REBATE FUNDS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

The State of South Dakota will implement a mail-in rebate program to help residents replace older, inefficient appliances with new ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. Rebates began March 1, 2010, and closed April 12, 2010.

Eligible products include

  • Refrigerators
  • Freezers
  • Clothes washers
  • Dishwashers
  • Gas storage water heaters
  • Gas tankless water heaters
  • Electric heat pump water heaters
  • Solar water heaters (electric and gas backup)

Refrigerator rebates are available to South Dakota residents, with a limit of one rebate per product per household. Rebate applications must be submitted within 30 days of purchase. Consumers must provide proof of recycling of old refrigerators and freezers to obtain a rebate for a new unit. Consumers are required to "self-certify" replacement of other appliances.

Contact: South Dakota Bureau of Administration – Office of Energy Management

Total Funding: $772,000

Program information subject to change. Rebates may be offered for a limited time only. Before purchasing a product, check with your program sponsor to ensure rebates are available, and to confirm product eligibility and program requirements. Products purchased must meet efficiency criteria as established by the state.

Program Impact:
South Dakota Appliance Rebates: The Program that Sold Itself

Pie chart showing distribution of rebates by product type. Clothes washers 33 percent, dishwashers 27 percent, refrigerators 26 percent, freezers 9 percent and water heaters 5 percent.

April 21, 2010—Imagine an appliance incentive program that spends no money on marketing, and is still wildly successful.

After six weeks of operation, the South Dakota rebate program for energy-efficient appliances has met its goals of spurring economic activity and reducing home energy consumption, according to Mike Mueller of the South Dakota Bureau of Administration. The program has closed, although the state is still processing rebate applications.

"South Dakota's program was attractive to consumers, and for retailers, it generated traffic and sales in their stores," Mueller reports. What could be better in the long run?

"One of the keys was that the program was simple for both consumers and retailers, which eliminated a lot of potential problems. Plus, the media took an interest in the program from the beginning. The media and retailers helped push the program. We've spent no money on marketing, and instead were able to use those funds for consumer rebates."

The stimulus-funded rebate program to encourage replacement of old appliances with ENERGY STAR qualified models began March 1, 2010, with an estimated $738,391 available for consumer rebates. As of April 12, rebate applications for 6,486 appliances had been received.

Clothes washers top the list with nearly 33 percent of the appliance rebate applications. Dishwashers and refrigerators comprise 27 percent and 26 percent of the applications, respectively. Freezers are 9 percent of the total, with water heaters the final 5 percent.

State contact: Mike Mueller, (605) 773-3688
DOE contact: Lani MacRae, (202) 586-9193
Visit: appliancerebate.sd.gov and energysavers.gov/rebates

Appliance Rebates Warm Up South Dakota Customers

Back in March, 2010, Karl's TV, Audio, Appliance and Furniture began offering its customers state rebates of $75 to $150 on ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances, and sales were brisk as a result.

"There was a very nice increase in sales traffic because of the rebates," said manager Doug Fickbohm. "In the first 3 or 4 days, we saw a big boost, and all of our stores around the state were busy." Karl's has 20 retail outlets in the Midwest.

In Yankton, refrigerators were the hottest seller, but clothes washers, dishwashers, and freezers also moved fast. The program required that applicants for refrigerator and freezer rebates provide proof of recycling for the old unit. "Customers overall were happy to get in the program," said Fickbohm.

He was also pleased with the ease of the application process. The rebate form was simple to fill out. Also, customers were able to dispose of their old appliances easily, as the store was already registered with the state as adhering to the proper procedures for disposal.

"There were a few customers that said they wanted to put their old fridge in the garage, but we said no, we can't do that. It had to be recycled to get the rebate."

The program closed April 12, 2010, by which time the state had issued an estimated $738,391 in rebates. The program was administered by the South Dakota Energy Management Office with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

State contact: Mike Mueller, (605) 773-3688
DOE contact: Lani MacRae, (202) 586-9193
Visit: appliancerebate.sd.gov and energysavers.gov/rebates