Home Energy Rebates Are Coming: DOE Confirms Plans to Release Billions in Funds to States

The Building Performance Association (BPA) applauds the U.S. Department of Energy’s commitment to release billions of dollars in State Home Energy Rebate Funds. This afternoon, in the administration’s first public statement on the status of the programs, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright assured members of the House Appropriations Committee that his agency is completing its review of the Home Energy Rebate programs and that funds could be released in a matter of “weeks.” These funds, appropriated in the Inflation Reduction Act and fully obligated to the states under the Biden administration, had been paused for agency review.

“We applaud Secretary Wright for pledging to release the pivotal Home Energy Rebates to help Americans upgrade their homes and save on their energy bills,” said Kara Saul-Rinaldi, Chief Policy Officer of the Building Performance Association. “The HOMES and HEEHR rebates represent critically needed funds to help homeowners invest in insulation and high-efficiency systems. With energy prices rising faster than inflation and the peak cooling season looming, these resources are needed now more than ever.”

BPA has advocated for home energy rebate funding for over a decade–most recently sending a letter to Secretary Wright featuring nearly 750 contractor and stakeholder signatures across all 50 states in support of releasing funding.

The HOMES Rebate Program is a performance-based, whole-house rebate program where the size of the rebate is greater for the more energy saved or predicted to be saved. The HEEHR rebate program offers specific rebate amounts for the energy efficiency technology or system installed or enabled in the home. While both programs offer greater rebates for low and moderate income families, the HEEHR rebate is income capped at 150% of area median income. For more information, see the BPA Home Energy Rebate Fact Sheet.

“The rebate programs have the potential not only to cut energy bills in half for participating Americans, but also to support grid reliability and energy load shifts, evermore important with data centers coming online soon,” Saul-Rinaldi noted.  

About the Building Performance Association
The Building Performance Association (BPA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit industry association that serves as the hub for businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies working to make America’s homes more energy-efficient, comfortable, healthy, and safe. BPA supports policies that advance the expansion of home and building performance, energy efficiency businesses, and industries. BPA serves as the industry’s voice on Capitol Hill and at the state and national levels.

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