On the 19th, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced the launch of the "Home Appliance Replacement Energy Efficiency Subsidy" in 2025. Citizens can apply for a subsidy of NT$3,000 for each new energy-efficient air conditioner and refrigerator they replace their old ones with. The Ministry stated that due to the Legislative Yuan freezing part of the subsidy budget, it is estimated that this year will see a reduction of 600,000 subsidies, and the application period will be shortened to the end of October. If the funds are exhausted, the application will be closed early. Citizens in need of subsidies are urged to seize the opportunity and replace their appliances as soon as possible to complete the application process.

The Energy Administration stated that if citizens purchase energy-efficient air conditioners and refrigerators, they can also apply to the Ministry of Finance's National Taxation Bureau for a "refund of reduced commodity tax for purchasing energy-saving appliances," with a maximum refund of NT$2,000 per unit. This means that by replacing old air conditioners or refrigerators with energy-efficient products, citizens can enjoy a total energy-saving benefit of up to NT$5,000.

On the 19th, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced the subsidy purchase period for 2025 (from January 1, 2023, to October 31, 2025). The Executive Yuan's official gazette will be published tomorrow. Within the currently available budget, applications for subsidies will be accepted until October 31, 2025. If the funds are exhausted, the application will be closed early, so citizens should pay special attention. Applications will be processed for funding after the presidential office announces the 2025 budget.

During the 2023 to 2024 subsidy period, the appliance replacement program has facilitated the replacement of 3.228 million air conditioners and refrigerators, saving approximately 1.93 billion kWh of electricity annually, with good implementation results. It is estimated that there are still 4.08 million old appliances in residential homes in the country. To accelerate the replacement and upgrade of old machines and achieve deep energy-saving goals, the subsidy measures will continue to be promoted over the next two years. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has allocated a budget of NT$6.8 billion for 2025, expecting to replace 2.07 million units.

The Energy Administration pointed out that this year's subsidy budget has been frozen by the Legislative Yuan by 20%, which not only affects the administrative processing of cases but also reduces the number of subsidies to 1.47 million units, with an estimated 500,000 households losing the opportunity to benefit.

The application method for this year's subsidy remains unchanged. Residential users who purchase energy-efficient air conditioners and refrigerators during the subsidy period and recycle their old machines will meet the subsidy eligibility. After preparing copies of identification documents, bank book covers, electricity bills for the installation address, uniform invoices, product warranty cards, and waste appliance recycling receipts, they can apply online directly at the dedicated subsidy website (https://save3000.moeaea.gov.tw) or fill out a paper application form and mail it with other supporting documents to the designated mailbox (Mailbox No. 8-17, Banqiao Post Office).

The Energy Administration stated that over 80% of citizens applied for subsidies online in the past two years. To enhance the convenience of online applications, this year they will continue to use OCR optical recognition technology to simplify the data input process and shorten the time required for applications. Citizens are encouraged to take advantage of the 24-hour online application service, allowing them to easily submit applications from home, which is not only fast and labor-saving but also helps in energy conservation and carbon reduction.

For detailed regulations on the appliance replacement subsidy, citizens can refer to the public information on the dedicated subsidy website. If there are any questions during the application process, they can also consult professional customer service personnel through online text support or call the subsidy hotline (02-29559666) from 8 AM to 9 PM daily for assistance