The U.S. Department of Energy announced that its Weatherization Assistance Program received an additional $18.6 million to assist low-income households improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
The federal funds, included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support projects to include more types of residential structures eligible for funding, cover home repairs and upgrades for electrification, and increase opportunities for jobs in the clean-energy industry, according to the Dec. 15 announcement on the DOE's website.
“Weatherization retrofits and home energy upgrades – like heat pumps, LED lighting, insulation and sealing up leaks — cuts monthly energy bills for families by up to 30%, and makes our air healthier,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm stated in the announcement. “Thanks to the investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, DOE will be able to help even more communities, cut more air pollution, and generate good-paying local jobs.”
The funding is also intended to address the 'high energy burden' that low-income households struggle with. The DOE defines a 'high energy burden' as spending more than 6% of income on utility costs, but also reports that communities of color spend a lot more than that.
"The numbers are even more stark in communities of color – Black households spend 43% more of their income on energy costs, Hispanic households spend 20% more, and Native American households spend 45% more" the DOE reports.
In addition to the additional $18.6 million this year, the WAP will provide up to $25 million each subsequent year through 2025, the DOE stated. The program has assisted more than seven million households save an average of $283 in energy costs annually since it started in 1976.
