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Home Energy Rebates Update |
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DOE Releases Resources on Retailers and Aggregators, Clarifies HEAR Income Levels |
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The U.S. Department of Energy has issued a couple of new documents to help states as they stand up their Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs:
Getting Started: Launching a Retail-Focused Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program: Providing rebates via retail can raise awareness of the HEAR program and efficient electric appliances while providing states an opportunity to establish industry relationships to drive market transformation. DOE is providing this document to help states and territories develop partnerships with retailers to help deliver the HEAR program.
Using Aggregators to Deliver Home Efficiency Rebates: When contractors have to wait for rebates, it can cause cash flow challenges. This factsheet focuses on an emerging model that reduces risk for contractors by using an aggregator that packages predicted savings from individual homes into larger units of energy savings valued at the portfolio level.
FAQ updates: DOE has published two new FAQs to provide important clarifications to states, territories and Tribes regarding the HEAR program:
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108. Does the limited assessment requirement in the HEAR program apply to new construction?
A: No. Under the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program, limited home assessments are not required for new construction projects. Per Section 4.2.4 of the Program Requirements and Application Instructions, to mitigate the risk of raising utility bills, states are required to conduct a limited home assessment prior to installation of an electric heat pump for space heating and cooling. This is not applicable for new construction homes.
109. May states exclude households whose income level is between 80-150% AMI for the HEAR program?
A: No. Section 50122 of the Inflation Reduction Act explicitly states that eligible entities must be provided with rebates, and eligible entities include any household whose income is less than 150% of area median income (AMI).
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About Home Energy Rebates
On Aug. 16, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden signed the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. The law includes nearly $400 billion to support clean energy and address climate change, including $8.8 billion in Home Energy Rebates, which will provide two separate rebates to consumers:
The Home Efficiency Rebates will provide $4.3 billion to discount the price of energy-saving retrofits in single-family and multi-family buildings. These rebates will be administered by states and territories.
The Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates will provide $4.5 billion in rebates for high-efficiency electricity upgrades in homes. These rebates will be administered by states, territories, and Indian tribes.
For more information, visit the Home Energy Rebates website and sign up for email updates.
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