Welcome

Mobile Home Heat Pump Pilot Program

Sustainable Finger Lakes is tackling energy inefficiency and climate vulnerabilities in Tompkins County through an innovative heat pump pilot program for mobile homes.

The initiative is funded by $522,000 from the Tompkins County Community Recovery Fund and seeks to retrofit mobile homes with energy-efficient heat pumps while addressing structural issues in older homes. The program is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs for low-income households.

“We’ve awarded 28 out of the 50 projects we have in mind,” said Gay Nicholson, president of Sustainable Finger Lakes. “These retrofits have already prevented approximately 2,800 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere and are expected to save over half a million dollars in energy costs over the next 18 years.”

The heat pump pilot program was launched to assist low-income residents, particularly those in mobile homes, who are often disproportionately affected by rising energy costs and climate change. Nicholson said the decision to focus on mobile homes came after conversations with local legislators and a review of energy challenges specific to this type of housing.

“Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable because of their poor insulation and outdated heating systems,” Nicholson explained. “We knew the Community Recovery Fund was coming, and we wanted to create a proposal that would provide meaningful impact.”

The program aims to install heat pumps in 50 mobile homes by March 2025. It prioritizes households earning 80% or less of the area median income, with many participants falling below 60%. Most projects also include upgrades to insulation and air sealing to maximize energy efficiency.

While the program has achieved significant milestones, progress has been slow due to procedural hurdles, particularly at the state level.

“NYSERDA [New York State Energy Research and Development Authority] has made major changes to their programs for low-income households, leading to delays in approvals,” said Nicholson. “What used to take two weeks can now take two to four months, with projects getting kicked back multiple times for minor adjustments.”

Despite these obstacles, the program has made significant strides. Halco Energy, a national leader in mobile home retrofits, has completed the majority of the installations. Nicholson said the work involves bringing homes up to a decent standard of efficiency by addressing underbelly insulation and air sealing. In some cases, additional funding has been used for repairs beyond the original scope, such as replacing crushed crossover ducts in double-wide homes.

The program is funded primarily through the Community Recovery Fund, with additional subsidies from NYSERDA programs. Sustainable Finger Lakes designed the funding structure to balance fairness and efficiency. Homeowners receive a $5,000 subsidy for the first two tons of heat pump capacity, discouraging oversized systems that could lead to higher electric bills. Additional subsidies cover costs like electric panel upgrades, though only 30% of the budget for these upgrades has been used.

The average cost of each project ranges from $22,000 to $44,000, with participants paying only 7% of the total cost. “We’ve made it as affordable as possible,” Nicholson said. “Most of the funding comes from NYSERDA incentives, which all New Yorkers pay into through the system's benefit charge.”

As the program moves forward, Sustainable Finger Lakes is focused on completing the remaining 22 projects by March 2025. Nicholson said she plans to reach out to contractors and past applicants to ensure the program meets its goals.

“Many people may have assumed the program is no longer available because of the delays,” she said. “We want to let them know we’re still here, and there’s still funding.” Nicholson added, “we are still willing to enroll mobile home owners in the county, and those who enrolled in the past are welcome to re-engage and move forward with their projects.”

- Matt Dougherty, Ithaca Times 2/20/25