BURLINGTON, VT – Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) today celebrates the implementation of the Senator’s Home Efficiency Rebates program for residential energy efficiency upgrades across the United States. The new rebate program, which the Senator first introduced and championed as the HOPE for HOMES Act and successfully passed as part of the historic Inflation Reduction Act, will be available to households across the U.S. after state governments develop rebate programs and submit applications to the Department of Energy (DOE). Along with the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program, the Home Efficiency Rebates program is the core Inflation Reduction Act provision for homeowners—individuals will eventually be able to access these benefits directly from their state governments. 

Taken together, the savings programs provide states $8.5 billion to lower the cost of energy and make homes more energy efficient and upgrades more affordable.  

“Home energy upgrades reduce carbon emissions, slash household energy costs, and create good jobs in communities throughout this country. I championed bipartisan legislation to help more families access these important upgrades, and I’m thrilled to see the Department of Energy begin to bring these critical programs online,” said Sen. Welch. “I encourage states and territories to submit their applications for funding and help more families access essential energy efficiency upgrades.” 

David Terry, the President of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), said: “Senator Welch was the primary house sponsor of the residential energy efficiency rebate program (HOMES) and now the U.S. Department of Energy has announced the requirements for program implementation that will soon allow the state energy offices to start the program.  Senator Welch deserves enormous credit for his foresight and soon the American people will see billions of dollars in energy savings.” 

“These groundbreaking rebates will accelerate high efficiency and electrification upgrades – both are critical to addressing climate change.  These rebates, combined with the tax incentives in the IRA, offer concrete support to Americans so they can take individual action to address the global climate crisis and support grid resilience and reliability”, said Kara Saul Rinaldi, President and CEO of the AnnDyl Policy Group and Chief Policy Officer of the Building Performance Association. “With these guidelines, states are empowered to put together home energy upgrade programs so that they can provide much-needed support to American families.” 

As outlined by the Department of Energy, The Home Energy Rebate Programs include:   

• The Home Efficiency Rebates program will offer $4,300,000,000 in formula grants to state energy offices to reduce the upfront cost of whole-home energy efficiency upgrades in single-family and multi-family homes. The value of an eligible home’s rebate depends on the predicted energy savings attributable to the project.  

State, territorial, and tribal governments can now apply for two Home Energy Rebate programs created in part by the Senator’s HOPE for HOMES Act. DOE is reviewing applications on a rolling basis. More information  on the program was recently released and can be found here. Individual homeowners will be able to access these energy saving programs in the coming months.  

Sen. Welch’s HOPE for HOMES Act was bipartisan, bicameral legislation that was included as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This part of the law helps homeowners retrofit their homes with energy efficient improvements including insulation, HVAC systems, and air source or ground source heat pumps–in-turn lowering energy costs for Americans, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, and investing in the workforce.  

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