City of New Orleans Awarded Funding from U.S. Department of Energy for Public Energy Efficiency Campaign
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans is the recipient of a $381,471 award from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. The City will utilize these dollars to promote the adoption of solar power systems and energy efficiency measures through programs and financial incentives now available through the federal government.
“I’m excited to announce this funding for New Orleans to promote the ‘Solar for All Program,' boosting participation in solar and storage installation options,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. “The EECBG program is helping communities lower energy use, reduce emissions, promote energy efficiency and meet our clean energy goals. I championed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that made this possible and look forward to seeing more achievements from this historic bill for Louisiana.”
The EECBG Program is designed to assist states, local governments and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, reduce fossil fuel emissions and improve energy efficiency. The City will utilize these funds to create a new, one-stop shop informational website and a city-wide campaign promoting the new federal incentives. The city-wide campaign will educate residents on the newly available tax credits created through the Inflation Reduction Act, which provide incentives up to $14,000 for low-to-moderate income households pursuing energy efficiency upgrades in their homes. These funds will also go towards the launch of a public engagement initiative aimed at creating a network of Community Energy Advisors. As paid volunteers, Community Energy Advisors will be trained on the various local, state and federal programs and incentives aimed at reducing energy use in order to provide one-to-one technical assistance to community members, aiding in increased adoption of energy efficiency and electrification measures that can reduce energy burden and improve quality of life for some of the city’s most vulnerable communities.
“EECBG funds are a critical piece of the puzzle for catalyzing a just, clean energy transition in New Orleans,” said City of New Orleans Energy Policy & Program Manager Sophia Winston. “This funding will not only bring awareness to new financial incentives for solar and energy efficiency created by the Inflation Reduction Act but create a network of citizens that are active participants in making New Orleans a more sustainable and resilient city.”
The City’s green energy campaign will include promoting the City’s Solar for All NOLA program that was relaunched in February. The Solar for All NOLA initiative is aimed at increasing awareness and access to affordable solar energy and battery storage options for all residents of New Orleans and is a partnership between the City of New Orleans, the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) and locally based solar companies PosiGen and Solar Alternatives. The program offers free feasibility studies to all interested households and businesses, provides leasing and financing options and low-cost energy efficiency upgrades for those ready to make the switch to solar.
Energy use in buildings accounts for roughly half of New Orleans’ greenhouse gas emissions, which means that energy efficiency and renewable energy represent a major opportunity to reduce air pollution locally. The City’s Climate Action Plan calls for greater adoption of energy efficiency through increased participation in Entergy New Orleans’ Energy Smart program, and 1,400 solar installations, representing 10MW of capacity, through the Solar for All NOLA program by 2030.
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