Johanna Neumann
Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America Research & Policy Center
Panel discussion offers insights on how to ditch gas, electrify everything
Media Contacts
WASHINGTON— Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund hosted a webinar panel on Wednesday that discussed the benefits of electrification for cooking, home heating and cooling and water heating.
The panel featured United States Sen. Tina Smith and a video address from Sen. Martin Heinrich who are co-chairs of the bicameral Electrification Caucus, which played a critical role in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, providing $9 billion to help Americans electrify their homes and make energy efficiency upgrades.
“With the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress passed the biggest, most powerful climate legislation in history. It puts us on the forefront of the clean energy transition, and will fuel the innovation we need to save our planet. This bill gives us the tools, and now we have to use them. That means helping families take advantage of new tax credits and rebates to electrify their homes, become more efficient, and lower their energy bills,” said Senator Smith. “It also means putting powerful incentives for domestic manufacturing to work so we build the components of the clean energy future here at home. This bill gives us the tools to make transformational change – we don’t have any time to waste.”
The Inflation Reduction Act provides 10 years of consumer tax credits to make homes energy efficient and able to run on clean energy, making heat pumps, rooftop solar, electric HVAC and water heaters more affordable.
“This webinar is a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about how you can benefit from the new point-of-sale rebate program for clean and electric home appliances that I secured in the Inflation Reduction Act. As the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Electrification Caucus in Congress, I am working hard to advance policies that support the widespread deployment of highly efficient, fully-electric and climate pollution-free technologies,” said Senator Heinrich. “These machines are the tools that will allow each of us to do our part to solve the climate crisis. They will also power new and cleaner industries, create good-paying careers and improve everyone’s daily lives.”
The webinar provided information on how to install electric heat pumps and induction stoves. Induction stoves and heat pumps are efficient replacements for the gas appliances that pollute the air inside and outside homes. Along with electric space and water heaters, induction stoves and heat pumps can lower dependence on fossil fuels and help to power our lives with clean, renewable energy.
“Heat pumps are a great technology to provide more efficient heating and cooling in your home, save you money and protect the climate. And they’re even greater now that the Inflation Reduction Act can help you offset the upfront cost,” said Rewiring America Special Projects Program Manager Joel Rosenberg.
The event featured people who had recently made changes to electrify their own homes and explained how to tap into existing and upcoming federal rebates and incentives.
“The more we learn about gas stove pollution, the more clear it becomes: we need to stop cooking with gas in our homes. The kitchen shouldn’t be a place where we have to worry about breathing toxic pollutants from our appliances,” said U.S. PIRG Education Fund Environment Campaigns Director Matt Casale. “The Inflation Reduction Act can help make that a reality by helping you ditch your gas stove and go all-electric or induction.”
