Wisconsin first state to launch home energy rebate program through Inflation Reduction Act

A Wisconsin Conservation Voters yard sign promotes Biden administration clean energy policies. (Wisconsin Examiner photo)

The state of Wisconsin on Friday became the first in the country to launch programs under the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at providing discounts for improving energy efficiency in homes.

The Home Efficiency Rebate (HOMES) Program will provide Wisconsin residents with rebates for improving the energy efficiency of their homes through measures such as installing new appliances, insulation, heat sealing and ventilation. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, those measures could also save American households up to $1 billion annually in energy costs.

Wisconsin has been allocated $149 million through the HOMES Program and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program, which will help low and moderate income households upgrade their appliances.

Gov. Tony Evers announced the launch of the program Friday in Milwaukee with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) Chairperson Summer Strand.

Officials announcing the program launch also touted the programs as job creating, saying that they will support an estimated 50,000 jobs in residential construction and manufacturing.

“The HOMES and forthcoming HEAR programs will go a long way in lowering costs for important energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades for households across the nation and here in Wisconsin,” Evers said in a statement. “Together, these programs will save folks and families up to $1 billion every year in energy costs and support roughly 50,000 jobs. This is proof that we don’t have to choose between protecting the environment and economic development and creating jobs — we can and are doing both.”

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin also celebrated the program launch, saying she fought for its inclusion in the Inflation Reduction Act when it was passed and signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022.

“Across Wisconsin, the Inflation Reduction Act is helping families cut costs and expand access to smart upgrades that not only reduce families’ footprint, but also save money as we invest in more efficient appliances, vehicles, and household necessities,” Baldwin said. “I was proud to support this program for Wisconsin to help families save on the front end of cost-cutting investments that will deliver savings for years to come.”

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