Thurston County, the cities of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater, and South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity are launching the second year of the Energize Thurston heat pump campaign.
Energize Thurston provides discounts, instant rebates and customer support to help Thurston County residents purchase and install efficient, electric heat pump equipment for home heating and cooling and water heating, a news release stated. A limited number of free and low-cost installations will be available to income-qualified households.
The campaign will take place in two phases. Phase 1, which began Aug. 17, will offer all interested residents access to equipment discounts, customer support and free site assessments from certified installers. Phase 1 will also provide subsidized installations for qualifying applicants on the program’s existing waitlist.
Phase 2, starting in October, will be open to new applicants with household incomes below 120% of the Thurston County area median income (AMI), who may qualify for funds to cover 80-100% of equipment and installation costs.
“Our Energize Thurston partnership secured grant funding over and above last year to expand this program to more of our Thurston County community in 2026,” Chair of the Board of County Commissioners Tye Menser said in the release. “Last year, local homeowners installed 227 new heat pump systems, saving each household thousands of dollars, and we’re anticipating the savings will only grow as this program expands.”
South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity was awarded $4.17 million in grants for Energize Thurston in 2026-2027. This includes $3,071,333 from Washington state Department of Commerce’s Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) program, $750,000 from Puget Sound Energy’s Residential Decarbonization Program, and $350,000 from Washington State University’s Community Energy Efficiency Program. The HEAR and PSE grants are both funded through Washington’s Climate Commitment Act.
Energize Thurston is a regional initiative of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Collaborative, an ongoing partnership among Thurston County, Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater. On behalf of the partnership, the City of Olympia has contracted with two wholesale distributors of heat pump equipment, Thermal Supply Inc. and Ferguson Enterprises, to serve the countywide program. The distributors will provide discounts across a range of equipment options and will oversee a roster of highly qualified HVAC and plumbing contractors.
Heat pumps provide highly efficient, all-electric space heating and water heating, plus the added benefit of air conditioning to make homes more comfortable in the summer months.
Interested homeowners are encouraged to visit www.energizethurston.org where they can register for a free educational workshop, find a list of certified installers, and schedule a free site assessment.
For more information, contact Rebecca Harvey, climate mitigation senior program manager for the Thurston County Community Planning and Economic Development Department, call 360-463-8181 or email rebecca.harvey@co.thurston.wa.us.
