EmPower+ vs Con Edison Clean Heat: which one should you use?

For most NYC households the answer is simple: if your income qualifies, start with EmPower+ vs Con Edison Clean Heat because EmPower+ usually covers far more of the cost, often the entire project. If your income is above the limits, Con Edison Clean Heat is your path, since it is open to every Con Edison customer regardless of income. Both programs help pay for an air-source heat pump in NYC, but they are built for different households and pay in different ways.

You cannot claim both programs for the same piece of equipment. An income-eligible household has to choose one pathway per measure. You can, however, sometimes use one program for the heat pump and the other for separate work like insulation.

Side-by-side: EmPower+ vs Con Edison Clean Heat

When EmPower+ is the better choice

Choose EmPower+ if your household income is at or below 80% of NYC’s Area Median Income, which is roughly $129,600 for a family of four across all five boroughs. The advantages stack up fast:

• It can cost you nothing. Low-income households downstate get up to $14,000 in upgrades at no cost, which often covers a full heat pump install.
• It treats the whole home. EmPower+ pays for insulation, air sealing, and electrical upgrades alongside the heat pump, so the system runs efficiently from day one.
• A benefit letter fast-tracks you. If anyone in the home gets HEAP, SNAP, TANF, or SSI, that award letter alone proves eligibility.

The trade-off is process. EmPower+ requires a home energy assessment and program review before work starts, so it takes longer than a straight Clean Heat job. See who qualifies and how to apply in our guide to EmPower+ in NYC.

When Con Edison Clean Heat is the better choice

Choose Clean Heat if your income is above the EmPower+ limits, or if you want a faster, simpler path to a heat pump. Clean Heat gives up to $10,000 off an air-source heat pump installed as your primary heat source, applied as an instant discount so you never pay full price and wait for a rebate. It is open to any Con Edison customer, which makes it the default for market-rate homeowners. The main limits are that it focuses on the heat pump itself rather than whole-home weatherization, and it goes to the property owner who pays for the work. For the full walkthrough, read how to get up to $10,000 off mini splits with Con Edison rebates.

Can you combine EmPower+ and Clean Heat?

Not for the same measure. EmPower+ and NYS Clean Heat utility incentives cannot both pay for the same installed equipment, so an income-eligible household chooses one program for the heat pump. Different programs can cover different parts of the same project, though. A common NYC approach uses Clean Heat for the heat pump and EmPower+ for weatherization, or layers the federal angle on top. Our post on stacking IRA tax credits with NYS Clean Heat rebates shows how the federal tax credit fits with the utility incentive.

What about renters and small multifamily owners?

Renters in one- to four-family homes can use EmPower+ with written permission from the landlord; the tenant starts the application. Clean Heat incentives instead flow to whoever owns and pays for the installation, so renters benefit indirectly when a landlord upgrades. We cover the details in do renters qualify for heat pump rebates in New York. Co-op and condo owners follow a separate multifamily track with higher per-unit incentives, explained in our guide to Con Edison Clean Heat for co-ops and condos.

How to decide in three questions

• Is your household income at or below 80% of NYC AMI, or do you get HEAP, SNAP, TANF, or SSI? If yes, apply to EmPower+ first.
• Do you also need insulation, air sealing, or an electrical upgrade? EmPower+ pays for those; Clean Heat generally does not.
• Are you over the income limits or want the fastest install? Use Con Edison Clean Heat for up to $10,000 off.

Real NYC scenarios

These examples show how the choice plays out for common NYC households:

• A family of four in the Bronx earning $95,000. They fall under the 80% AMI limit, so EmPower+ comes first. A low-income or qualifying-tier project can install a ductless heat pump plus attic insulation at little or no cost, capped at $14,000 downstate.
• A market-rate brownstone owner in Park Slope earning $220,000. They are over the EmPower+ limits, so Con Edison Clean Heat is the path, taking up to $10,000 off a primary air-source heat pump as an instant discount.
• A moderate-income homeowner in Queens who also needs insulation. EmPower+ covers half the efficiency work up to $7,000 and can pay for the insulation, while the federal tax credit may apply to the heat pump on top.
• A renter in a two-family home in Brooklyn. EmPower+ is the route, started by the tenant with written landlord permission, since Clean Heat goes to the owner who pays.

Do both programs require an approved contractor?

Yes. EmPower+ work must be done by a participating EmPower+ contractor, and Con Edison Clean Heat incentives only apply when you use a Con Edison participating contractor. Choosing an installer who is approved for the program you want is the step that protects your incentive. Some contractors are approved for both, which keeps your options open if your eligibility or scope changes mid-project. Confirm program approval, licensing, and insurance before you sign, and ask the contractor to confirm your income tier or DAC status in writing.

How the federal tax credit fits in

Both state and utility programs can sit alongside the federal heat pump tax credit, which is a separate benefit from the IRS rather than a New York incentive. A market-rate NYC homeowner using Con Edison Clean Heat for the equipment may also claim the federal credit on qualifying costs, which stretches the savings further than either program alone. Income-eligible households using EmPower+ should confirm how much of the cost they actually paid, since a tax credit applies to your out-of-pocket spending, and EmPower+ may already cover most or all of it. The order matters: apply the utility or state incentive first, then calculate the federal credit on what remains.

EmPower+ vs Clean Heat frequently asked questions

Can I switch programs after I apply?

Often yes, before work begins, if your eligibility or scope changes. Once a measure is installed under one program, you cannot re-claim it under the other. This is why choosing a contractor approved for both programs keeps your options open.

Does Clean Heat have a deadline like EmPower+ assessments?

Clean Heat is generally faster because it does not require a NYSERDA home energy assessment first. The participating contractor scopes the job and applies the discount, so the main timeline is your install schedule.

Which program is better for a whole-home electrification?

For income-eligible households, EmPower+ is usually better for whole-home work because it funds insulation, air sealing, and electrical upgrades together. Clean Heat is focused on the heat pump itself.

Do these programs only apply in Con Edison territory?

EmPower+ is statewide. NYS Clean Heat is administered jointly with several utilities, so the Con Edison version applies in Con Edison’s NYC and Westchester service area. Check your utility if you are outside that footprint.

The bottom line

EmPower+ vs Con Edison Clean Heat comes down to income and scope. Income-eligible NYC households should start with EmPower+ for the largest savings and whole-home upgrades, while everyone else gets up to $10,000 from Clean Heat. You cannot double up on the same equipment, but a smart project can use each program where it pays best. AirSync HVAC checks which programs you qualify for, scopes the right system for your home, and handles the participating-contractor requirements for both. Start with a home energy assessment and we will show you the lowest-cost path to a heat pump.