The updated Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency helps homeowners and businesses find incentive programs that can reduce or defray installation or purchase costs of technologies like photovoltaic systems. | Photo by Dennis Schroeder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

All across the United States, homeowners and businesses are saving money by installing technologies that conserve energy and cut carbon pollution. Upgrades such as new, energy-saving appliances and rooftop photovoltaic systems also help lower the nation’s overall energy usage and reduce environmental impacts like harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

To empower more Americans to realize the benefits of clean energy technologies and solutions, government agencies offer several financial incentive programs that can reduce or defray installation or purchase costs.  In an effort to help citizens quickly find these opportunities the Energy Department established the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) 20 years ago.  The database is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at North Carolina State University.

DSIRE -- the nation’s most comprehensive information sources for renewable and efficiency incentives -- enables users to pinpoint opportunities in a variety of formats including dynamic maps, charts, and tables.  The database also includes a search tool that filters incentives and policies by type, state, technology, implementing sector, and eligible sector.

Today, the Energy Department and N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center launched a new version of DSIRE that makes it even easier for citizens to find information. These improvements include:

  • expanded data accessibility with information on over 2,800 active policies and incentives for all renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies;
  • an Application Program Interface (API) freely available for download that contains all of the data on DSIRE in an easy-to-read format;
  • interactive maps so that users can customize policy maps in real-time based on their preferences and needs; and
  • enhanced search that allows users to find incentives by zip code.

In addition to these exciting features, the new site includes a more streamlined, user-friendly design that highlights DSIRE’s tools and services.

These DSIRE upgrades contribute to the White House Open Data Initiative, which is designed to fuel entrepreneurship, innovation, scientific discovery, and economic growth. The new DSIRE API and open data will enable private-sector entrepreneurs, technologists, and innovators to build new tools, services, and infrastructure that advance a clean energy economy. 

Go to DSIREUSA.org to explore the improved features and follow DSIRE on Twitter and Facebook. Also, search our Rebates & Incentives tool to find even more tax-saving opportunities. For questions or comments about the new DSIRE, please contact Steve Capanna at Steve.Capanna@EE.Doe.Gov