EnergyUnited connects members to stimulus savings It’s all over the news; with the passage of the federal stimulus bill there’s money available to help many Americans weatherize homes and make energy efficiency improvements. EnergyUnited is ready to help customers find the necessary resources as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 goes into effect. Check back often—we’ll update this page as more information on the stimulus package is made available.
Residential
• The stimulus package expanded the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program, with a new goal of weatherizing one million homes per year. Weatherization—the process of sealing air leaks and properly insulating a home—can reduce heating bills by up to 32 percent, resulting in an average energy savings of $358 per year. The stimulus bill extends program eligibility to those with incomes below 200 percent of the national poverty level. For a family of four, that’s an income limit of $44,100. The process to weatherize a home through the program usually takes two days with an average cost of $2,500. Since some homes have different needs, the stimulus bill allows up to $6,500 to be spent on each home. Members interested in the program should contact the administrator of the program.
• For members not eligible for federally funded programs, the stimulus plan provides a homeowner efficiency tax credit of up to $1,500, or 30 percent, of the cost for new energy upgrades, including weatherization activities as well as installation of efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Efficiency tax credits were already available for 2009, but carried a $500 limit (with additional caps for certain types of upgrades) and only covered up to 10 percent of a member’s investment.
Commercial/Government Buildings
• Grants are available to state and local governments that adopt energy efficient building codes. • Track how North Carolina is spending its stimulus money at ncrecovery.gov.
EnergyUnited • The stimulus package also includes funding for electric cooperatives that implement energy efficient measures and take active steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EnergyUnited’s methane gas facility and upcoming solar energy project are two examples of steps we are already taking.
