As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Maine has launched its first federal Home Energy Rebates program, supported by the Inflation Reduction Act. Maine is launching the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) portion of the rebate program—enabling savings on energy efficiency improvements.
Maine’s launch is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s nationwide initiative to provide $8.8 billion in Federal funding for states, territories, and Tribes to lower energy costs and increase efficiency in American homes by making it cheaper to install cost-saving measures such as heat pumps, electrical panels, and insulation, which helps save money on housing costs. These energy-saving measures will save American households up to $1 billion annually in energy costs and support an estimated 50,000 U.S. jobs in residential construction, manufacturing, and other sectors. These investments also advance the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.