Maine Plans $72M Energy Rebates to Assist with Bills

TL/DR –

Maine is planning to allocate around $72 million in federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for energy and efficiency rebates. The state has surpassed its goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps by 2025 and set a new target of 175,000 additional installations by 2027. Officials are working on making the rebates more accessible to moderate-income households, with the highest rebate currently standing at $8,000 or 100% of project costs.

Maine Plans to Allocate $72 Million in Federal Funding for Energy Efficiency Rebates

Plans are underway in Maine to allocate around $72 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to help residents with energy and efficiency rebates. The Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden over a year ago, provided about $370 billion for clean energy and energy efficiency investments across the nation.

Specific Funding to Maine

The Department of Energy indicated that Maine is eligible to receive about $36 million from each program and at least $11 million specifically for low-income households.

Heat Pump Rebates and Goals in Maine

In 2019, Governor Janet Mills announced Efficiency Maine’s heat pump rebates program, surpassing its initial goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps by 2025. The state now aims to install an additional 175,000 heat pumps by 2027, according to a statement from Mills.

Rebate Accessibility

Officials aim to make the Inflation Reduction Act’s rebates more accessible, particularly for moderate-income households. Under the current law, the highest rebate, $8,000 or 100% of project costs for heat pumps, is available to the lowest-income earners.

Efficiency Maine’s Focus

Michael Stoddard, the Executive Director of Efficiency Maine, shared with the Energy News Network that the focus will be on multifamily buildings that could benefit from the heat pump rebates.

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