CA to Get $582 Million to Make Homes More Energy Efficient
Next year middle and lower-income families will be able to apply for a $14,000 grant and rebates for their home in order to make it more energy efficient.
According to Public News Service, Rebates will also cover upgrades to your breaker box, electric wiring, heating and air conditioning systems, and insulation. The California Energy Commission is expected to move quickly and open up applications early next year. The idea is to reduce indoor air pollution from gas appliances, which contribute to premature death and bronchitis.
Yu said everyone needs to switch from gas-burning appliances to models that run on electricity generated from renewable sources like solar and wind.
“In California, homes and buildings are roughly responsible for 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions,” she explained. “The more we’re putting out all of these polluting appliances, the more we’re going to exacerbate the issue.”
Just over 40% of California’s energy still comes from fossil fuels like oil and gas that spew carbon emissions and drive climate change, which is linked to the fires, drought and floods that have ravaged the state. Energy efficiency upgrades can provide greater climate resilience against extreme heat and cold snaps, wildfire smoke and air pollution.