MILWAUKEE – In the main building of the Milwaukee Area Technical College, a panel consisting of state and federal leaders announced a new program to provide Wisconsin homeowners ways to save money on their taxes and energy bills; if they make energy efficient improvements to their home.
Wisconsin’s Home Energy Rebates program will provide tax rebates and other discounts when homeowners make improvements such as insulation, air sealing and heat pumps that reduce energy consumption. The program is available for all residents but has greater impacts for low-income residents. For example, a single family home that makes less than 80% of their area median income will be eligible for a $10,000 rebate.
Residents will first complete a home energy assessment provided by a licensed energy auditor to determine the home’s upgrade needs and establish the estimated energy savings each upgrade would provide
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm gave a presentation on the cost saving opportunities that will be made available to Wisconsinites, particularly if they choose to invest in solar energy: “Every tax payer can get 30% off your solar panel, and that stacks on top of the rebates you get here in the state.”
“If you buy [energy efficient] appliances, same thing,” said Secretary Granholm. “30% tax credits which are stackable with….the rebates program for low and moderate-income families.”
Multifamily properties are also eligible. Rental units with low-income tenants are eligible for up to $10,000 in rebates, depending on estimated energy reductions
Granholm went on to state that these initiatives are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Following the presentation and panel, MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz told WTMJ the emphasis on renewable energy represents a strong opportunity to prepare students for a new field.
“I think its going to give us an opportunity to train more individuals and educate more students so they can get into the workforce,” Dr. Cruz said.
Building Wisconsin’s workforce has been a longtime goal of Governor Tony Evers, who was similarly excited about the program.
“Clean energy is a good opportunity for people to get a good paying job,” Governor Evers said. “In many cases, its a union job.”
10 total states have received similar funding from the Department of Energy to begin Home Energy Rebate programs, Wisconsin is the first state to officially begin theirs.
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