How the Inflation Reduction Act Can Save You Money on Home Energy Costs, Jenny Abel, Tobe, E., Gruder, S., Ruemenapp, M., published October 2023 is a fact sheet for homeowners, renters, and those counseling them that shows funding available for home energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy, and clean vehicles through the Inflation Reduction Act and how to access it.
File: Inflation-Reduction-Act-Fact-sheet-002.pdfIn the two years since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was signed into law, Wisconsin has garnered hundreds of millions of dollars for clean energy upgrades in addition to money for rural high-speed internet and transportation infrastructure. Wisconsin received $95 million for weatherization, $7.9 million for the state energy program, $6.5 million for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, and $14.2 million to enhance power grid resilience. Another $237 million is for public transportation plus $25.8 million for clean school buses (see grant opportunity under funding). Wisconsin cities received $42.2 million for clean transit buses and service upgrades. Additionally, $45 million has been allocated already to Wisconsin to expand our electric vehicle charging infrastructure of the roughly $79 million allotment over 5 years.
With historic federal investments in the clean energy economy, an additional $614 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments has resulted. Nationally, BIL is designed to spur clean, reliable energy across the country to achieve a zero-emission future. It aims to upgrade the US power infrastructure that will facilitate the expansion of renewable clean energy and lower costs and to build a national network of electric vehicle chargers to accommodate the transition to a clean transportation industry.
USDOE’s Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) was awarded October 31st, 2023 to 45 entities across the US including Slipstream Group in Madison, WI. DOE provides more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to support the transformation of existing U.S. buildings into more energy-efficient and clean energy-ready homes, commercial spaces, and communities. The chosen teams will develop scalable and replicable initiatives for widespread energy efficiency and efficient electrification building upgrades. The goal is for these innovative models to accelerate greenhouse gas reduction, equity, economic development, and health goals.
Slipstream Group, Inc. will receive the maximum $400,000 cash award in the Equity-Centered Innovation Pathway to design and launch the Cream City Climate Challenge. It is designed to inspire weatherization and electrification and improve health and safety outcomes for Milwaukee’s historically disadvantaged communities. DOE
Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) Program is a certification by US DOE for single, multi-family, and manufactured homes that are high-performance, healthy, and energy efficient. These homes are so energy efficient that a renewable energy system could offset most or all the home’s annual energy use. The homes must meet rigorous criteria set forth in the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home National Program Requirements that serve as a roadmap for builders and developers to create high-performance homes. If they are certified by a DOE-recognized third-party certification organization, they become eligible for federal tax credits and utility company rebates. Wisconsin builders use the requirements for cold & very cold climates.
The Treasury Department issued guidelines for consumers to get the federal Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit as an instant rebate at the dealership beginning January 1, 2024 rather than receiving it as a credit when you file your taxes the following year. A new EV can be up to $7,500 cheaper the day you purchase the vehicle and a used clean vehicle can be $4,000 less. Consumers should check fueleconomy.gov to see which vehicles are eligible for the credit.
The guidance provides additional information on registration requirements and how the mechanics of this transfer will work for car dealers. US Dept of the Treasury
A Public Service Commission memo has been issued for public comment on the scope of both the 2023 round of Energy Innovation Grant Program (EIGP) and the scope of the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG).
Comments are due by 1:30 pm on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. Submit a comment here.
Location: The Commission meeting will be held at the Hill Farms Office building and broadcasted virtually through the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s YouTube channel
A new program to spur clean energy investments in underserved communities under the Inflation Reduction Act was announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Internal Revenue Service. Applications for the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program under Section 48(e) of the Internal Revenue Code will open at 8 am CST on October 19, 2023. The program will provide a 10 or 20-percentage point tax credit boost for solar and wind projects that are in low-income communities or on Indian land, are part of affordable housing developments, or benefit low-income households. The program is intended to increase access to clean energy in low-income communities, encourage new market participants, and benefit individuals and communities that have experienced adverse health or environmental effects or lacked economic opportunities.
Treasury and DOE will launch the program help desk and post slides and a webinar recording for all stakeholders with details about the application materials and process.
Materials, including the final regulations, to help applicants prepare their submissions and maps detailing eligibility are on the DOE’s landing page: Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program. This page will be updated with additional resources over the coming weeks so please continue to check back for updates.
The Smarter Small Buildings Campaign by the US Department of Energy, offers small- and medium-sized building owners technical assistance and recognition opportunities for improved HVAC controls in their buildings. Small- and medium-sized buildings served by packaged rooftop HVAC units (RTUs) comprise the majority of commercial buildings in the United States. Improving HVAC controls will improve occupant comfort, save on energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Building owners can contact the Campaign to enroll and explore partnership opportunities for controls vendors, utilities, HVAC contractors, and other market stakeholders. Click here for resources on RTU controls product selection and case studies.
The City of Madison’s $33 million Nekoosa Trail Fleet Building completed in 2021 is the state-of-the art for sustainability features supporting its LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council. The building is highly energy efficient, with solar tube and LED lighting, high levels of insulation, radiant floor heat, solar PV, solar hot water, solar hot air (solar wall), and solar electric vehicle charging stations that power the first working electric fire truck in North America and other EVs. View photos of the clean energy elements at WSJ Photos.
The LEED Gold Certified building’s design and construction team included CD Smith, Stantec, Meade & Hunt, Strand Associates, and HGA along with City Engineering.
More information at City of Madison
June 29th, 2:00 pm CST
Register for Elective Pay Webinar: https://lnkd.in/gshhPyAC
Clean Energy Funding: Direct Pay Guidance Briefing for Local Governments & Nonprofits
“…[With] the Inflation Reduction Act’s “elective pay” (often called “direct pay”) provisions, tax-exempt and governmental entities will, for the first time, be able to receive a payment equal to the full value of tax credits for building qualifying clean energy projects. Applicable entities can use direct pay for 12 of the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits, including for generating clean electricity through solar, wind, and battery storage projects; building community solar projects that bring clean energy to neighborhood families; installing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure; and purchasing clean vehicles for state or city vehicle fleets. See a full list of applicable tax credits for direct pay.” *
The Treasury and IRS has issued proposed guidance on direct pay and will hold a briefing on it open to all stakeholders.
To Register: https://lnkd.in/gshhPyAC
The proposed rules will be open for public comment with public hearings through August 14, 2023.
* For more information, see Direct Pay Through the Inflation Reduction Act, The Whitehouse
