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New York Energy Resource Bureau
An independent homeowner guide to NY energy incentives
Source quality: Mixed

Niagara County

County or city: Niagara County, NY Utility territory: National Grid (upstate electric) and National Fuel Gas (natural gas across Western New York) Verified: May 27, 2026 Source quality: Mixed — utility framing is well-sourced; county-specific residential energy programming is sparse in primary sources.

What programs apply here

A Niagara County homeowner has access to the full statewide stack, plus a utility layer that splits across two separate companies. National Grid handles upstate electric distribution. National Fuel Gas, headquartered in Buffalo, handles residential gas service across most of Western New York and runs its own rebate program independent of National Grid. From a Niagara Falls, Lockport, Niagara, or North Tonawanda address you can apply for:

  • NY-Sun: the state's upfront solar incentive. Niagara County sits in the upstate block, where residential pricing differs from the downstate zones.
  • NY-Sun Community Solar: subscriptions for renters or homeowners without viable roofs. Bill credits arrive on the National Grid electric statement.
  • NY State Solar Tax Credit: 25% state income tax credit on solar system cost.
  • NY State Geothermal Credit: 25% state income tax credit on ground-source heat pump installs.
  • NYS Clean Heat: heat pump rebates delivered through National Grid for the electric track.
  • Comfort Home: flat per-measure insulation and air sealing incentives through NYSERDA-certified contractors.
  • EmPower+: the income-qualified weatherization and electrification program, and the primary delivery channel for federal HEAR rebates in New York.
  • Solar for All: monthly bill credit for income-eligible National Grid customers who subscribe to a participating community solar project.
  • National Grid Rebates: the upstate electric rebate menu — heat pumps via Clean Heat, smart thermostats via ConnectedSolutions, Weatherization Health and Safety, and a renters' rebate track.

Natural gas rebates in Niagara County are not National Grid. National Fuel Gas runs its own Conservation Incentive Program for residential gas customers, with rebates for high-efficiency furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and a WeatherWise track for envelope work. The 2026 program-year deadline is March 31, 2027.

What stacks at this address

  • Comfort Home + National Fuel WeatherWise. A Lockport or Niagara Falls homeowner doing insulation and air sealing can claim Comfort Home flat per-measure incentives plus the National Fuel WeatherWise rebate on the same scope of work. The two programs check for overlapping coverage at application, so the contractor needs to confirm the measure list against both.
  • Clean Heat + Comfort Home sequencing. Tightening the envelope before sizing a heat pump system is the standard order of operations. Comfort Home pays for the envelope work; Clean Heat then pays for the heat pump. Doing them in the reverse order risks oversizing the equipment.
  • NY-Sun + NY State Solar Tax Credit. Standard stack for any rooftop install in upstate New York. The tax credit is computed on net cost after the NY-Sun rebate.
  • Geothermal Clean Heat + state geothermal credit. Ground-source installs qualify for both. Air-source installs do not qualify for the geothermal credit.
  • EmPower+ + HEAR. Income-qualified Niagara County households apply once through EmPower+ and the same intake routes federal HEAR funding where eligible.

County or city programs unique to here

Niagara County does not run a county-administered cash rebate program for residential energy upgrades. The county's industrial and tourism economies have historically driven climate programming toward commercial and waterfront projects rather than a residential rebate menu. Two channels carry most of the local-layer support for homeowners:

  • WNY Regional Clean Energy Hub, operated by PUSH Buffalo. A NYSERDA-funded nonprofit serving Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara counties. BPI-accredited Energy Advisors walk homeowners through assessments, contractor selection, rebate paperwork, and financing. The Hub is the recommended first call for a Niagara County household that does not know where to start.
  • Niagara County Center for Economic Development and Workforce Solutions. The county-level office that coordinates with state and federal energy initiatives. Useful for permitting questions on larger residential projects and for connecting to small-business or multifamily tracks not covered on this page.

Several Niagara County municipalities participate in the NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities program at varying levels. Confirm your specific municipality's status before assuming local funding is available.

Who to call locally

  • WNY Regional Clean Energy Hub (PUSH Buffalo): pushgreen.org. The first call for most Niagara County homeowners.
  • Niagara County Office of the County Executive — Economic Development: (716) 439-7500. Useful for county-level program coordination.
  • National Grid residential customer service: the Clean Heat rebate finder returns address-specific heat pump amounts. ConnectedSolutions and other rebate tracks run through National Grid directly.
  • National Fuel Gas residential rebates: fuelingtomorrowtoday.com runs Conservation Incentive Program intake. The WNY customer assistance center handles eligibility questions.

Climate Smart Communities status

Niagara County is not currently listed as a certified Climate Smart Community at the county level. Several municipalities within the county have registered as participants under the NYS Climate Smart Communities program; certification status varies by town. Verify your specific municipality's current status with the NYS DEC Climate Smart Communities list before citing it in dated material.

Important local dates

  • National Fuel Gas Conservation Incentive Program: 2026 program-year applications are due March 31, 2027.
  • National Grid Clean Heat amounts and ConnectedSolutions enrollment caps are reset on the utility's energy efficiency program cycle filed with the New York Public Service Commission. Mid-year budget exhaustion has happened in prior years.
  • Comfort Home per-measure incentive amounts are adjusted on NYSERDA's program cycle; no fixed end date for Niagara County participation as of May 27, 2026.

Source

NYSERB.com is an independent research site. It is not affiliated with Niagara County, PUSH Buffalo, NYSERDA, the State of New York, or any utility. Verify all program details and incentive amounts directly with the relevant program administrator before making any financial decision.

Verified against www.niagaracounty.com, www.nationalgridus.com, climatesmart.ny.gov on May 27, 2026.

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