Wisconsin is one step closer to rolling out the new Home Energy Rebate programs as the Public Service Commission (PSC) is now accepting public comments on the draft application and program materials. Part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, these new Home Energy Rebate programs will help Wisconsin residents lower their utility bills and conserve energy through the completion of home improvement projects including energy efficiency and electrification upgrades.
“The Home Energy Rebate programs offer an opportunity for Wisconsinites to save money and reduce energy usage. We are very interested in hearing from residents and industry professionals about how we can reduce barriers to participation and ensure positive customer experiences for all who utilize these programs,” said PSC Chairperson Summer Strand.
The Inflation Reduction Act authorized two Home Energy Rebate programs: the Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) Program and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program. The HOMES Program is a whole-home energy efficiency program that provides rebates to discount the price of energy-saving retrofits in existing single-family and multifamily buildings. Eligible projects include insulation, air-sealing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades. The HEAR Program will provide instant discounts to eligible households that install high-efficiency electric appliances, such as electric heat pumps.
In January and February 2024, the PSC and Focus on Energy held five in-person and two virtual Stakeholder Engagement Sessions to meet with residents and gather input on program design elements. The feedback received at these sessions helped inform the PSC’s draft application materials. These materials and a PSC memorandum outlining key policy decisions are now available for the public to review and submit comment through April 16, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.
In a future open meeting slated for later this spring, the PSC will make final decisions about application content based on public comments, stakeholder feedback, program staff proposals, and U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) program requirements.
Program applications will be finalized based on the Commission’s decisions and then officially submitted to U.S. DOE who must approve Wisconsin’s application before the state can launch these programs The U.S. DOE estimates a 60-day process for review, questions, and final negotiations before issuing approval. Pending U.S. DOE approval, these programs are anticipated to launch in late summer 2024.
The application materials are available to review and provide public comment on the PSC’s Electronic Records Filing (ERF) System. Directions on how to file a public comment using ERF is available here.
Comments related to the application materials for the HOMES program should be filed in docket 9716-FG-2023. Comments related to the application materials for the HEAR program should be filed in docket 9717-FG-2023. If the comments relate to the application materials for both HOMES and HEAR, comments should be filed in both dockets. To receive up-to-date information about these dockets, you may subscribe to them using the EZ-Subscription on this page.
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