Home Energy Rebates are still available and are providing thousands of dollars in savings for Wisconsinites to make energy efficient upgrades to their homes. Erin Lee, who we spoke with in March, had big upgrade plans for her Milwaukee home. By stacking these federal home energy rebates with state rebates, she was able to save over $20,000 on energy-saving upgrades and now has a much more efficient home.
One of the federal rebate programs that Wisconsinites like Lee can benefit from is called the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program, which offers rebates to low- and medium-income households for energy efficient appliances. Lower income households can qualify for higher rebates, including up to 100% of project costs for upgrades such as heat pump water heaters, heat pumps for heating and cooling, and associated wiring and electrical panels. In some cases, this program can also pay for insulation, air sealing, and ventilation upgrades. Erin Lee received over $13,000 in upgrades through HEAR to help pay for a heat pump for heating and cooling, a new electrical panel and some insulation. Focus on Energy, the administrator of this program, has more information about how to apply on their webpage: focusonenergy.com/ira-hear
The Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) program is another federally funded rebate program available to Wisconsinites. This program, unlike HEAR, is not income-restricted, although low- and middle-income households are eligible for higher rebates. This program is specifically for whole-home upgrades, such as increased insulation or heating/cooling equipment replacement, and the rebate amount depends on projected energy savings from the upgrades. Accordingly, Wisconsinites must get a home energy assessment prior to making upgrades to be eligible. Additionally, this program can be applied retroactively for certain projects. Lee received $5000 dollars from this program for whole-home upgrades. More information about HOMES can be found on the Focus on Energy webpage(focusonenergy.com/ira-homes), including information on home energy assessors working throughout Wisconsin.
Lee was able to stack these rebate programs with other incentives offered through Focus on Energy. This included rebates for air sealing, attic insulation, wall insulation, duct sealing, and a furnace upgrade. In total, Lee secured an extra $2,450 from Focus on Energy. Lee also participated in the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (ME2) program, which helps Milwaukee residents navigate available federal, state, and local programs, and currently offers an affordable, fixed interest loan for making energy-saving upgrades.
Lee is very excited about the upgrades to her home and says she can already feel the difference. “It’s been hot outside, and the house stays cool even though it’s hot.” The upgrades made to her house will save her more than 20% in annual energy usage, and Lee emphasized that these programs are worth participating in. “If you qualify, you’re unlocking a lot of extra savings.”
HOMES and HEAR, which have been available to Wisconsinites for less than a year, have already delivered over $1 million and over half a million dollars respectively to homeowners. If you want to save thousands of dollars on upgrades that will make your home more energy efficient, head to Focus on Energy’s website to learn more.
