A new high-efficiency AC system in Palm Beach County runs $6,500–$14,000 installed in 2026. The good news: between FPL rebates, federal HVAC tax credits, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s HEEHRA program, most Florida homeowners can legitimately shave $2,000–$8,000 off that price. Here’s exactly how to stack them.
Federal 25C tax credit (Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit): For 2026, you can claim 30% of the cost of qualifying high-efficiency equipment, capped at $2,000 for heat pumps and $600 for central air conditioners. To qualify, the system must meet the CEE highest efficiency tier in effect at install — in Florida that means 16+ SEER2 / 9.0+ HSPF2 for heat pumps and 17+ SEER2 / 12+ EER2 for central AC. Keep your AHRI certificate; it’s what the IRS asks for.
HEEHRA (High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act): This is the big one — up to $8,000 off a qualifying ENERGY STAR heat pump for income-qualified households (under 150% of area median income for Palm Beach County, roughly $135,000 for a family of four in 2026). Households under 80% AMI get the full rebate at the point of sale; 80–150% AMI gets 50% covered. Florida’s program is administered through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services — applications opened in late 2025.
FPL AC rebate: Florida Power & Light offers a $150–$2,150 rebate on qualifying high-efficiency systems through their Residential HVAC program. The exact amount depends on SEER2 rating and whether you’re replacing electric resistance heat. Variable-speed inverter heat pumps at 18+ SEER2 typically max out the rebate. FPL also runs a separate $30 smart thermostat rebate worth grabbing.
How to stack them: The federal 25C credit, HEEHRA rebate, and FPL rebate are independent programs — you can claim all three on the same system. Example: a $12,000 Daikin 18 SEER2 variable-speed heat pump for an income-qualified family could net a $2,000 federal tax credit + $8,000 HEEHRA rebate + ~$1,500 FPL rebate, bringing real out-of-pocket to roughly $500. Even for higher-income households who don’t qualify for HEEHRA, the 25C credit plus FPL rebate routinely saves $2,500–$3,500.
SEER2 efficiency savings beyond rebates: A 18 SEER2 inverter system uses 30–40% less electricity than a 15.2 SEER2 baseline. On a typical Palm Beach County summer cooling bill of $280/month, that’s $80–$110/month saved — $700–$1,100 per year before you factor in any rebate. Over a 12-year system life, the energy savings alone often exceed the upfront premium for high-efficiency equipment.
Common mistakes to avoid: Don’t take possession of the equipment before applying for HEEHRA — it’s a point-of-sale rebate, so it has to be processed at the time of install. Make sure your contractor is registered with FPL’s Participating Contractor Network or the FPL rebate gets denied. And keep every document: AHRI certificate, Manual J load calc, invoice with model numbers, and proof of payment. The IRS and FPL both audit a small percentage of claims.
What to ask your contractor: (1) Is this equipment on the AHRI certified list at the SEER2 tier I need for the 25C credit? (2) Are you an FPL Participating Contractor? (3) Will you handle the HEEHRA point-of-sale paperwork? (4) Can you provide a written Manual J load calculation? Any contractor who can’t answer all four shouldn’t be installing your system.
Air We Go is an FPL Participating Contractor and handles all rebate and HEEHRA paperwork at the time of install. We pre-qualify your household for HEEHRA before quoting so the rebate is baked into your price — no waiting for a check. Call us at (561) 778-7078 for a free in-home assessment and a written quote that itemizes every incentive you qualify for.