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The state energy office has seventeen and a half million dollars to start handing out to people who buy energy saving appliances in mid April. Six appliances, gas tank-less water heaters, clothes washers, refrigerators, dishwashers, room air-conditioners and freezers, qualify for rebates of twenty percent, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the money is expected to go fast.

The rebates will be for energy saving appliances purchased during a ten day window, beginning Friday, April 16th.

The phone at the state energy office has been ringing off the hook with people looking for more details.

Some are still being ironed out.

“We’re just directing people to check out our website in the next upcoming weeks, and more information will be available,” Sandra Bustos, with the energy office, said.

Customers must first purchase the appliances, then get on line to reserve their rebate.

The state expects to have enough money for about 66,000 rebates and they expect them to go very fast.

Recycling your old appliance will also net buyers an extra 75 dollars.

“It will be written on their receipt, saying deliver new appliance, take the old appliance to be recycled,” Rebate Program Administrator Brenda Buchan said. “So we will have evidence of that and that’s perfectly good for us for this purpose. They’ll get the extra 75 dollars.”

Many stores are expected to offer special deals during the ten-day-long event. Retailers like Mark Munroe expect a big boost in sales.

“I know that if they don’t get in on that front end of that ten days, they may not have the money there to get,” Munroe said. “So I would encourage people to get in here on the early side of that.”

The rebates will come in the form of credit cards with a balance, and the hope is the extra cash will be used for dinners and other things that will also stimulate the economy.

The rebates are not retroactive. The appliances must be purchased during the ten-day window beginning Friday, April 16th, and ending Monday, April 25th. Check out myfloridaclimate.com for more information.