Congress passed a law in 2022 that allows the federal government to financially incentivize citizens to invest in clean energy improvements to their homes.
The Inflation Reduction Act includes Home Energy Rebates that will put money directly into the hands of Americans who choose to go green on select home improvement projects and lower their energy bills.
"The good news is that these technologies are better than the ones that they replace," said Bill McKibben, an environmental journalist and activist, during a news briefing with Covering Climate Now.
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The IRA offers tax credits to those who choose an array of energy-efficient and clean technologies, including solar panels, electric cars, and more. It is estimated to help reduce the burning of dirty energy and provide cleaner air that could help prevent over 100,000 asthma attacks each year by 2030.
For each household, the IRA makes available up to $8,000 through the Home Efficiency Rebates program for home efficiency changes alone, an additional $14,000 through the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program, $1,600 to weatherize one's home with improved insulation, and $600 per residential energy property item, such as a central air conditioner.
The IRA is Congress' largest investment in climate action yet, with over $370 billion earmarked to help Americans afford home improvements that will both save them money and create a cleaner environment for all.
The nonprofit organization Rewiring America has created an easy-to-use incentive calculator — based on a series of questions — to help homeowners find out how much they could save by improving their homes with clean energy technology.
It should be mentioned that President-elect Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of eliminating some of the incentives in the IRA. Though it is unlikely the law can be totally dismantled, it is a smart investment to take advantage of the benefits as soon as possible.
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