Article Summary –
Wisconsin, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy, has launched the Home Efficiency Rebate (HOMES) Program and received federal approval for the upcoming Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program, aimed at lowering home energy costs and utility bills by providing funds for energy efficiency upgrades and high-efficiency appliances. These initiatives are part of President Biden’s Clean Energy Plan, embedded in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and are expected to save up to $1 billion annually in energy costs and support approximately 50,000 jobs. Wisconsin’s pioneering role has been praised by both state officials and environmental groups for promoting economic development, job creation, and environmental protection.
On Aug. 2, Wisconsin and the U.S. Department of Energy announced the launch of a rebate program aimed at reducing home energy costs and lowering utility bills.
The Home Efficiency Rebate (HOMES) Program provides funds for consumers to enhance home energy efficiency. Upgrades include air conditioning, ventilation, heating, insulation, and air sealing (preventing conditioned air from escaping).
Gov. Tony Evers revealed that Wisconsin received federal approval for the upcoming Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program, offering rebates for high-efficiency appliances to low- and moderate-income households.
“Together, these programs will save families up to $1 billion annually in energy costs and support around 50,000 jobs. We can protect the environment and create jobs simultaneously,” Evers said in a statement.
Wisconsin is the first state to receive approval for the HOMES program, part of the Biden-Harris administration’s $8.8 billion initiative to help with energy costs.
“Wisconsin is leading in building up their local workforce and keeping money in residents’ pockets, thanks to the Investing in America agenda,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a release.
Environmental advocacy group Wisconsin Conservation Voters commended the initiative.
“Energy efficiency upgrades enhance quality of life and reduce home pollution, improving health,” Jennifer Giegerich, the group’s government affairs director, stated in a statement.
The group has visited over 75,000 Wisconsin homes, informing residents of benefits from President Joe Biden’s Clean Energy Plan, part of the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aimed at boosting clean energy and reducing carbon emissions.
The HOMES program is a component of the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, despite opposition from Wisconsin’s Republican congressional delegation, led by Sen. Ron Johnson. The bill was supported by Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Wisconsin’s Democratic representatives, becoming law after Vice President Kamala Harris cast a tiebreaking vote in the Senate.
Baldwin praised the bill for its energy cost-cutting measures.
“We are investing in a Made in America clean energy economy, boosting production powered by American-made technologies and products,” Baldwin said in an August 2022 statement.
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