Duke Energy Florida's Home Energy Improvement program pays a rebate of up to $1,000 toward a qualifying HVAC replacement in a single-family home (up to $600 in a manufactured home). It is one of the larger residential HVAC rebates in the state — but it comes with a hard sequencing rule that trips up homeowners who don't plan ahead.
The rule: you must complete a free Home Energy Check before any work begins, and you must not have had one within the previous two years. The Home Energy Check is an assessment that produces a list of recommended efficiency measures; the HVAC rebate is only available for a recommended measure. If you replace the system first and request the rebate afterward, the work is not eligible — the assessment cannot be applied retroactively. Once the check is done, you have 24 months to complete a recommended measure and claim the rebate.
The replacement itself must be done by a licensed and insured air-conditioning contractor and installed to Duke Energy's standards. The exact rebate amount within the up-to-$1,000 ceiling depends on the equipment and the measure, so confirm the figure for your specific system as part of the proposal rather than assuming the maximum.
Coverage is the first thing to verify. Duke Energy Florida serves a large but discontinuous footprint across north and central Florida and parts of the Gulf coast, including Pinellas County and the areas around Orlando. But Florida's municipal utilities — OUC in the city of Orlando, JEA in Jacksonville, Lakeland Electric, and the City of Tallahassee — are not Duke territory and run their own programs (or none). The rebate follows the electric meter, so check a recent Duke bill before counting on it.
For homeowners who qualify, the practical takeaway is to schedule the free Home Energy Check early — well before the old system fails — so an emergency replacement doesn't force you to install first and forfeit the rebate.