HomE Program (Co-op Members Upgrade Energy Efficiency)
Through electric cooperatives, co-op members have obtained funds from the federally funded American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for energy saving improvements. Illinois alone has received $2.5 million for it’s program called HomE. Since May 2010 over 2,600 Illinois co-op members have received energy assessments (audits) and 2,100 co-op members received up to $1,500.00 in energy efficiency grants. The co-op member may also qualify for other federal tax incentives for residential energy efficiency. This is how it works – first a co-op representative visits a co-op member’s home and provides the home owner with an energy assessment (audit). Then the co-op member completes an approved residential energy efficiency upgrade and receives a rebate.
The cost effective energy improvements include upgrading of insulation, furnaces, central air systems, and windows. These improvements will increase the home’s energy efficiency by at least 20%. As many as 1,000 Illinois co-op homeowners have upgraded to high efficiency air-source heat pumps (doubles energy efficiency – 200%), or ultra-high efficiency geothermal heat pump systems (350% – 400% energy efficient). By the time the HomE program ends (July 2011), it is anticipated that the equivalent of 20 million kilowatts hours of electricity will be saved each year in Illinois alone. Additionally, 5,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide will be removed from the atmosphere each year.
If you live in a rural area and are serviced by an electric cooperative, from any state, check out what services and/or rebates are available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Act soon before the funds are gone.
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