NORA is an alliance of more than twenty-one state and local associations representing heating oil marketers across the U . S . Each state association is qualified to request rebates from NORA for programs that meet the criteria of the NORA Statute . These programs all operate under the four tenets of NORA : Research , Development & Demonstration , Consumer Education Safety & Training , and Energy Efficiency .

CONNECTICUT

Along with its priorities of promoting Bioheat to Connecticut customers and making equipment rebates available to help homeowners improve their energy efficiency , CEMA continued to focus on the real estate community as a target audience for its NORA activities . Focusing on Realtors , homebuyers and home sellers through the Partnership for Realty and Oilheat Success ( PRO $) program , CEMA is supporting the industry in Connecticut because this group continues to be the least informed about heating oil and the most likely to consider alternative options without understanding why today ’ s heating oil remains a viable option .

This year ’ s program included inoffice presentations to hundreds of agents , distribution of thousands of pro-oil and pro-efficiency materials to hundreds of other real estate offices and engagement with key Realtors at real estate meetings , trade shows and networking events . CEMA has also launched a new initiative to increase the technical and practical knowledge base of the state ’ s home inspectors . The program will focus on bringing professional education supplemented with printed and online materials to help inspectors do a better job of making proper diagnoses and supporting Connecticut oilheat homeowners .

In 2016 , CEMA launched the Upgrade & Save Connecticut rebate program . The program currently offers rebates of up to $ 650 per home : $ 650 for efficiency upgrades of oilheat furnaces or boilers with an AFUE of 90 % or higher ; $ 300 for upgrades to boilers with an AFUE between 85 % and 89 % or furnaces with AFUE between 83 % and 89 %; $ 300 for installation of an aboveground double wall / safety storage tank or $ 150 for installation of an aboveground single-wall tank .

In previous years CEMA offered $ 500 for equipment upgrades regardless of the new AFUE and $ 300 for any aboveground storage tank replacement . As of August 31 , 2018 , CEMA has remitted $ 331,500 to 957 homeowners since its inception . That represents 682 boiler / furnace upgrades and 269 storage tank replacements . The rebate program has been successful in substantially reducing fuel consumption : on average , boiler efficiency increased from an AFUE of 76.15 % to 86.2 % and furnaces from 76.14 % to 85.62 %. These changes

represent a reduction of approximately 61,870 gallons of heating oil per year .

DELAWARE / MARYLAND

Maryland and Delaware had very active programs for assisting homeowners . These efforts included a rebate program for appliances and tanks throughout the two states . Additionally , training service professionals is a high priority , and many technicians were trained throughout the state with NORA subsidies .

KENTUCKY

In 2017 , many Kentuckians learned about the benefits of oilheat and Bioheat thanks to the NORA checkoff program . HVAC

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