The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into federal law in 2022, has many financial incentives for home improvements that mitigate climate change, save money, and improve health. One of the strongest themes within the IRA is that of electrification.
Rewiring America is a national nonprofit founded in 2020 to help consumers electrify everything and it has published a plethora of online resources to do so. Its online infographic provides an overview for both the “why” and “how” to electrify everything, and its online Savings Calculator helps households calculate the financial incentives, such as federal tax credits and rebates, stemming from the IRA for home improvements and appliance upgrades. The tax credits went into effect immediately when the IRA was signed into law, and the rebates are in the process of being finalized and implemented by state energy offices in accordance with guidance from the federal Department of Energy. The Oregon Department of Energy estimates these rebates will become available mid-2024 for Oregonians, in line with many other states.
To help consumers learn more about electrifying their households, Rewiring America is rolling out a revamped consumer website that covers topics like electrifying our kitchens, our cars, our clothes dryers, our water heaters, our home living spaces, our electrical supply, and upgrading electrical panels. Electrify Now and ElectrifyPDX are local organizations founded to promote electrification as well.
Through ElectrifyPDX, households register online to receive a yard sign that showcases milestone badges for electrification progress, as well as contractor recommendations. Electrify Now hosts online webinars about electrification topics and posts them to its YouTube channel.
Alameda residents Will Musser and Jenny McClister started hosting Electrification Open Houses at their home in August 2022 so community members could experience electrification technologies for themselves. While serving as a homesite for the 2022 Go Zero Tour of Solar Oregon, Will learned about ElectrifyPDX from one of the attendees and has since become involved with it to advocate for electrification in and around Portland. He is beginning to conduct outreach on the benefits of and incentives for electrification with neighborhood associations and is available for in-person or virtual presentations. His next Electrification Open House is scheduled for January 20. To register for this free event, visit tinyurl.com/5daj8mmx.
Related Links
- Rewiring America: rewiringamerica.org
- Rewiring America Infographic: rewiring-america.netlify.app
- Rewiring America Savings Calculator: rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator
- Rebates Info: oregonlive.com/environment/2023/08/oregonians-wont-see-clean-energy-rebates-until-mid-2024.html
- Rewiring America Revamped Consumer Website: rewiringamerica.org/consumer/my-home
- Electrify Now: electrifynow.net
- ElectrifyPDX: electrifypdx.org
- Electrify Now/YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCqdWmkLFPxl0Kz6_KqPt7MQ
- Go Zero Tour of Oregon 2022: sites.google.com/solaroregon.org/go-zero-tour-2022/sites/musser-residence-portland
Editor’s Note: In other electrification news, on January 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Prince Coffee on Fremont, ElectrifyPDX will present at an event hosted by sponsor Elizabeth Nathan, a realtor with Urban Nest. See Upcoming Events on page 4 and the ad on page 20 for more info.