How Can You Cash In?
By
Colleen Cronin / ecoRI News staff
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The
U.S. Department of Energy considers a household energy cost-burdened if it
spends 6% or more of its income on energy needs. But in Rhode Island, some of
the lowest income earners are spending about 18% of their income on energy,
according to Granholm.
“That’s
not acceptable, not acceptable, right governor?” she asked Gov. Dan McKee
during an event launching the new rebate program at the IBEW Local 99 Union
Hall in Cranston.
“Absolutely
not,” he replied.
“Okay,”
she said. “So, what are we doing about it?”
Granholm
explained her visit marked the launch of Rhode Island’s federal Home
Energy Rebate program to help low- and middle-income residents
pay for energy-efficient home improvements that will lower their energy bills
and help reduce carbon emissions.
The
Ocean State received $32 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to start the
program initially and will receive more funding to expand the rebates to higher
income residents in 2025.
Residents
making 80% or less of the state median income can qualify for updated electric
panels and wiring and some new energy-efficient appliances, including electric
stove tops, ranges, ovens, and heat pump clothes dryers.
“There’s a ton of all of these technologies that are happening and that are being deployed, which is great, but often the folks who are able to afford heat pumps or solar panels or induction stoves are folks who are at the higher end of income,” Granholm said. “So, we want to make sure that these kinds of products are accessible.”
The
program offers rebates of up to $4,000 for an electrical panel; $2,500 for
electrical wiring; and $840 for an electric stove, cooktop, range, oven, and/or
heat pump clothes dryer.
Granholm
said those improvements, along with updates from existing rebate and tax credit
programs in Rhode Island that include solar panels, heat pumps, and
weatherization, can results in hundreds or even thousands of dollars in energy
cost savings annually.
To
take advantage of these programs, Granholm said the first step is to reach out
to the state Office of Energy Resources at
401-714-3484.
The
office will connect interested residents with one of seven community action
agencies that administer the program.
They
will perform a home assessment to see what a household is eligible for.
“We
want to make sure that our residents know that this program is in Rhode
Island,” Elizabeth Castellano, chief operating officer for the Community
Action Partnership of Providence County, said during the event.
“That [there’s] savings that they’re going to get.”
