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OEI Newsletter October 2025

OEI Programs

Rural Energy Startup Program Round 2

• The OEI is continuing to accept applications in the PSC Grant System.  Applications will be reviewed, and eligible projects will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis while funds remain. Limited funding remains available.
• To learn more about RESP Round 2 Awards or to apply for the remaining available funds, visit the link below. 

Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebates

• The Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate Program (HEAR) is now available directly at retail locations, with instant discounts and post-purchase rebates. Customers can purchase qualifying electric appliances bought in-store or online, building upon the contractor-based rebates available since late 2024. Stores will either offer instant discounts or customers can send in their receipt and photos of before and after work to receive the rebate. 
• The HEAR program now offers residents two ways to participate:
  • Buy qualifying appliances on their own, either in-store or online, including:
    • ENERGY STAR electric stoves, cooktops, or ranges
    • ENERGY STAR heat pump clothes dryer
    • ENERGY STAR electric heat pump water heater
  • Work with an IRA Registered Contractor to complete projects, including:
    • ENERGY STAR electric heat pump water heater
    • ENERGY STAR electric heat pump for space heating and cooling
    • Electrical wiring upgrades
    • Electric load service center (electrical panel)
    • ENERGY STAR insulation, ventilation, and air sealing
• Households earning less than 80 percent of the area’s median income (AMI) may receive 100 percent of the project costs covered, up to $14,000. Households earning 80-150 percent AMI may qualify for 50 percent of the project costs covered, up to $14,000.
• To learn more about how to participate in HEAR, including the new retail path, visit the links below.

Focus on Energy

Warming Up to Winter

• Once fall arrives, thoughts turn to home heating and comfort as we move towards winter. Here are a few tips to help you keep your home comfortable:
  • Have your furnace or heating system tuned up to ensure it is performing well.
  • Change your furnace filter.
  • Make your space more energy efficient and comfortable by ordering the Focus on Energy Comfort Pack. This pack includes seven easy to-install products designed to cut your energy use including: 17-foot rolls of door weatherstripping, window film insulation, door sweeps, and switch and outlet gaskets. 
  • Best of all, the Focus on Comfort Pack is free, so there is nothing standing between you and a more comfortable, more energy-efficient home.

• To learn more about Focus on Energy and its Comfort Pack for your home, visit the link below.

Learning Opportunities

WI Local Government Climate Coalition Launch Energy Playbooks

• The WI Local Government Climate Coalition (WLGCC) worked with the Great Plains Institute to produce two playbooks specifically designed for use by local government staff in Wisconsin: Greening the Grid and Transportation Electrification.
• These playbooks lay out step-by-step how local governments can green their grid (i.e. work towards local clean energy goals) and electrify transportation in their communities.
• The playbooks include useful features, like the level of difficulty for different strategies, what departments or stakeholders should be involved, project examples across Wisconsin and the Midwest, and links to other helpful resources and tools. 
• To view the Greening the Grid and Transportation Electrification playbooks, visit the links below.

Agrivoltaics: The SCAPES Project Webinar

• The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 11 AM Central highlighting cutting-edge research practices in agrivoltaics.
• Agrivoltaics is the co-location of agricultural production at photovoltaic (Solar PV) energy facilities or arrays.
• The Sustainably Colocating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity Systems or SCAPES project is studying the economics, engineering, and crop productivity of agrivoltaic practices. Through research occurring on campus the team is learning about crop compatibility with solar energy production.
• To learn more about the webinar and to register, visit the link below.

Energy News and Research

Reminder: Clean Energy Tax Credits for Home Energy Efficiency Improvements Ending Soon