Wisconsin has launched the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program.
Wisconsin got $74.5 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for HEAR, which provides instant discounts to low- and moderate-income households for installing energy-efficient appliances. It aims to help households save on energy bills.
The state also has the HOMES Program which provides rebates to households undertaking whole-home, energy-saving improvements, such as heating and cooling systems.
Overall, individual households could save hundreds of dollars on monthly energy bills and save thousands of dollars on energy-efficient home upgrades by participating in these Home Energy Rebate programs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, these energy-saving measures will save households up to $1 billion annually in energy costs and support an estimated 50,000 U.S. jobs in residential construction, manufacturing, and other sectors.
“We have already achieved tremendous success with the registration of new contractors and the delivery of rebates to Wisconsin households undertaking upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient,” says Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Chairperson Summer Strand. “We are very excited to continue this momentum with the official launch of the HEAR Program, which will help even more people save energy and money through the purchase and installation of energy-efficient appliances and equipment.”
While Wisconsin ranks 24th in the nation for total energy costs per capita, according to the DOE, many Americans spend a large portion of their monthly income on heating, cooling, and powering their homes—with some of the lowest-income families spending upwards of 30 percent of their income on energy bills.
The Wisconsin HEAR program will launch in two phases.
In the newly launched phase, registered contractors can offer discounts for certain appliances and projects that require installation, including electric heat pumps and electric wiring and panel upgrades. Rebates will be available in 2025 for insulation and air sealing that require contractor installation.
In the second phase, launching in 2025, eligible customers will receive instant rebates for appliances, such as electric clothes dryers, electric stoves, and insulation bought at stores or through a contractor.
Learn more: https://focusonenergy.com/ira-hear
