42 USC 18795 - Home energy performance-based, whole-house rebates

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 18795.

Home energy performance-based, whole-house rebates

(a)

Appropriation

(1)

In general

(2)

Allocation of funds

(A)

In general

The Secretary shall reserve funds made available under paragraph (1) for each State energy office—

(i)

in accordance with the allocation formula for the State Energy Program in effect on January 1, 2022; and

(ii)

to be distributed to a State energy office if the application of the State energy office under subsection (b) is approved.

(B)

Additional funds

(3)

Administrative expenses

Of the funds made available under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use not more than 3 percent for—

(A)

administrative purposes; and

(B)

providing technical assistance relating to activities carried out under this section.

(b)

Application

A State energy office seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application that includes a plan to implement a HOMES rebate program, including a plan—

(1)

to use procedures, as approved by the Secretary, for determining the reductions in home energy use resulting from the implementation of a home energy efficiency retrofit that are calibrated to historical energy usage for a home consistent with BPI 2400, for purposes of modeled performance home rebates;

(2)

to use open-source advanced measurement and verification software, as approved by the Secretary, for determining and documenting the monthly and hourly (if available) weather-normalized energy use of a home before and after the implementation of a home energy efficiency retrofit, for purposes of measured performance home rebates;

(3)

to value savings based on time, location, or greenhouse gas emissions;

(4)

for quality monitoring to ensure that each home energy efficiency retrofit for which a rebate is provided is documented in a certificate that—

(A)

is provided by the contractor and certified by a third party to the homeowner; and

(B)

details the work performed, the equipment and materials installed, and the projected energy savings or energy generation to support accurate valuation of the retrofit;

(5)

to provide a contractor performing a home energy efficiency retrofit or an aggregator who has the right to claim a rebate $200 for each home located in a disadvantaged community that receives a home energy efficiency retrofit for which a rebate is provided under the program; and

(6)

to ensure that a homeowner or aggregator does not receive a rebate for the same upgrade through both a HOMES rebate program and any other Federal grant or rebate program, pursuant to subsection (c)(7).

(c)

HOMES rebate program

(1)

In general

(2)

Amount of rebate

Subject to paragraph (3), under a HOMES rebate program, the amount of a rebate shall not exceed—

(A)

for individuals and aggregators carrying out energy efficiency upgrades of single-family homes—

(i)

in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 20 percent but less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I)

$2,000; and

(II)

50 percent of the project cost;

(ii)

in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I)

$4,000; and

(II)

50 percent of the project cost; and

(iii)

for measured energy savings, in the case of a home or portfolio of homes that achieves energy savings of not less than 15 percent—

(I)

a payment rate per kilowatt hour saved, or kilowatt hour-equivalent saved, equal to $2,000 for a 20 percent reduction of energy use for the average home in the State; or

(II)

50 percent of the project cost;

(B)

for multifamily building owners and aggregators carrying out energy efficiency upgrades of multifamily buildings—

(i)

in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 20 percent but less than 35 percent, $2,000 per dwelling unit, with a maximum of $200,000 per multifamily building;

(ii)

in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 35 percent, $4,000 per dwelling unit, with a maximum of $400,000 per multifamily building; or

(iii)

for measured energy savings, in the case of a multifamily building or portfolio of multifamily buildings that achieves energy savings of not less than 15 percent—

(I)

a payment rate per kilowatt hour saved, or kilowatt hour-equivalent saved, equal to $2,000 for a 20 percent reduction of energy use per dwelling unit for the average multifamily building in the State; or

(II)

50 percent of the project cost; and

(C)

for individuals and aggregators carrying out energy efficiency upgrades of a single-family home occupied by a low- or moderate-income household or a multifamily building not less than 50 percent of the dwelling units of which are occupied by low- or moderate-income households—

(i)

in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 20 percent but less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I)

$4,000 per single-family home or dwelling unit; and

(II)

80 percent of the project cost;

(ii)

in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I)

$8,000 per single-family home or dwelling unit; and

(II)

80 percent of the project cost; and

(iii)

for measured energy savings, in the case of a single-family home, multifamily building, or portfolio of single-family homes or multifamily buildings that achieves energy savings of not less than 15 percent—

(I)

a payment rate per kilowatt hour saved, or kilowatt hour-equivalent saved, equal to $4,000 for a 20 percent reduction of energy use per single-family home or dwelling unit, as applicable, for the average single-family home or multifamily building in the State; or

(II)

80 percent of the project cost.

(3)

Rebates to low- or moderate-income households

(4)

Use of funds

(5)

Data access guidelines

(6)

Exemption

(7)

Prohibition on combining rebates

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Disadvantaged community

(2)

HOMES rebate program

(3)

Low- or moderate-income household

(Pub. L. 117–169, title V, § 50121, Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 2033.)

cite as: 42 USC 18795