Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a new Michigan Home Energy Rebates program on Wednesday. She said it could help up to 15,000 Michigan households upgrade appliances and make home energy improvements.
First piloted in Marquette County and Holland, the project is now funded statewide through the federal Inflation Reduction Act. It's led by the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Jeff Johnston is a spokesperson for the department. He says the program will help income-qualifying households cut back on energy costs and help the environment.
“Now there’s an option for them, and something that can really change their lives and save them money every month on their bills,” he said, "without requiring that kind of up-front investment which can be prohibitive.”
While any household can apply to see which rebates they’re eligible for, the program will prioritize households with incomes at or below 80% of their county’s Area Median Income (AMI).
The two types of rebates the program offers are Home Efficiency Rebates worth up to $20,000 and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates worth up to $14,000. Between the two programs, qualifying households are eligible for up to $34,000 in rebates.
The efficiency rebates extend to house-wide energy efficiency upgrades that would decrease house energy use by 15-20%, and include insulation, air sealing, and heating and cooling. The electrification and appliance rebates would fund electronically-efficient appliance upgrades like electric stoves and dryers, electric wiring upgrades, and heat pump water heaters.
“If you can lower the cost of those things, you know that makes a real difference in peoples’ lives,” said Johnston.
Beyond helping homeowners, Johnston said the program will boost local economies by creating construction and installation jobs, while building a statewide network of pre-qualified contractors. EGLE is encouraging local contractors to register to become a part of the program's network.
Michiganders can see if they qualify for the energy rebates and apply at Michigan.gov/HomeEnergyRebates.
