(The Center Square) – Seattle’s heat pump rebate program led to more than 300 homes converting from oil heating to an electric-powered heat pump in 2025.
Through the program, Seattle households can receive an instant rebate ranging from $2,000 to $8,000 to switch from oil heating to an energy-efficient Mitsubishi Electric Heat Pump. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the program in 2024, setting a goal of eliminating oil-heated homes citywide by 2030.
Kristin Brown, communications manager for the Office of Sustainability and Environment, told The Center Square that the total conversions for 2025 are closer to 375, meeting the office’s 2025 goal.
“We are on track to have 310 conversions that OSE manages by end of year – but we also work closely with the Office of Housing who provides low-income households (earning 80% of area median income or less) no-cost conversions,” Brown explained to The Center Square. “Adding in their conversions brings us up to 375 projected by the end of the year.”
For 2026, the office has set out a goal of converting between 350 and 400 additional homes away from oil heating. Brown said the department remains on track to meet its broader goal of zero oil-heated Seattle homes by 2030.
“Starting with an estimated 18,000 oil heated homes in 2017, we estimate there are approximately 7,000 homes remaining,” Brown said.
The city was awarded $3.2 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce via the Climate Commitment Act for the program. According to the Seattle 2025-2026 budget, $800,000 was budgeted for the program this year. According to the city, the $3.2 million in funding is expected to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That is the equivalent of 4,760 gasoline-powered cars taken off the road for a year.
According to the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment, the converted homes directly avoided 187,000 gallons of oil per year, or equivalent of 8,700 gas powered cars off the road for one year.
The Center Square previously reported that the Clean Heat Rebate program only goes toward a homeowner’s purchase of a Mitsubishi-brand electric heat pump, which can cost roughly $20,000 before rebates. Moderate-income households earning between 81%-150% of the area’s median income qualify for the rebate.