Georgia to launch pair of home energy rebate programs

ATLANTA — Georgia is launching two new pilot programs offering rebates for home energy efficiency, the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority announced. Experts consider energy efficiency a key element of reducing both power bills and greenhouse gas emissions in the face of rising demand for electricity.

“Energy efficiency is almost always the cheapest way to essentially generate a new megawatt,” Jenette Gayer, the director of environmental advocacy organization Environment Georgia, said. “Making sure that we are not systematically wasting energy is maybe the most important metric.”

For individual consumers, improving energy efficiency reduces energy bills because they can avoid waste, like paying for heating or air conditioning that leaks out of poorly insulated walls and windows. The energy inefficiency of many older homes is a key reason many Georgians face a high energy burden, meaning they spend a large portion of their income on energy bills.

The first of the new programs will offer rebates for retrofits that improve a home’s energy efficiency, like better insulation and weatherization. Those will be based on the amount of energy saved, and lower-income residents will get a bigger rebate.

The second program provides rebates for appliances and improvements on the efficiency or reduction of emissions, like switching to an electric stove or a heat pump.

“We’re really excited to get both of the programs up and running today,” Kris Anderson, director of energy resources for GEFA, said in a webinar Wednesday.

Along with rebates for consumers, GEFA is launching a contractor training program to ensure the state has enough workers to install efficient insulation, appliances, wiring and other upgrades that qualify for the rebates. Most of the rebates will be delivered through approved contractors, which is a small list currently but will expand as more contractors get trained.

Both are starting in a smaller pilot phase, with the full program launch expected in early 2025.

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WABE and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.