The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Energy Programs Office (EPO) is working on designing how the Commonwealth will administer residential rebate programs for energy efficiency and home electrification, which were established through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. As a part of this process, the DEP will be hosting public engagement sessions to connect with residents interested in learning more about the programs and to collect feedback. Clean Air Council will provide suggested talking points for anyone interested who sends an email to Alice ([email protected]).

Sign up for the session below:

• Thursday, October 24, 2024, 6PM: Statewide virtual session. Register here.

The Home Energy Rebate Programs consist of two separate programs: Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) and the Home Efficiency Rebates (HER). HEAR would provide rebates for energy efficient appliances and is expected to launch in early 2025. HER would focus on energy savings from whole-home energy efficiency improvements and is expected to be available early- to mid-2025. Together, these rebate programs can help eligible households upgrade their homes to be more energy efficient, saving people money and reducing air pollution.

However, before residents can access these rebates, states must decide how they will administer and design the programs. As of September 30, rebate programs in 20 states have already been approved by the Department of Energy (DOE) and of those, rebates in 6 states are available. Pennsylvania should ensure that its program design for these rebate programs maximize emissions reductions and prioritize the households that have the most to benefit from energy efficiency upgrades.