42 U.S. Code § 18795 - Home energy performance-based, whole-house rebates

(a) Appropriation

(1) In general

In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $4,300,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2031, to carry out a program to award grants to State energy offices to develop and implement a HOMES rebate program.

(2) Allocation of funds

(A) In general

The Secretary shall reserve funds made available under paragraph (1) for each State energy office—

(i) in accordance with the allocation formula for the State Energy Program in effect on January 1, 2022; and

(ii) to be distributed to a State energy office if the application of the State energy office under subsection (b) is approved.

(B) Additional funds

Not earlier than 2 years after August 16, 2022, any money reserved under subparagraph (A) but not distributed under clause (ii) of that subparagraph shall be redistributed to the State energy offices operating a HOMES rebate program using a grant received under this section in proportion to the amount distributed to those State energy offices under subparagraph (A)(ii).

(3) Administrative expenses

Of the funds made available under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use not more than 3 percent for—

(A) administrative purposes; and

(B) providing technical assistance relating to activities carried out under this section.

(b) Application

A State energy office seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application that includes a plan to implement a HOMES rebate program, including a plan—

(1) to use procedures, as approved by the Secretary, for determining the reductions in home energy use resulting from the implementation of a home energy efficiency retrofit that are calibrated to historical energy usage for a home consistent with BPI 2400, for purposes of modeled performance home rebates;

(2) to use open-source advanced measurement and verification software, as approved by the Secretary, for determining and documenting the monthly and hourly (if available) weather-normalized energy use of a home before and after the implementation of a home energy efficiency retrofit, for purposes of measured performance home rebates;

(3) to value savings based on time, location, or greenhouse gas emissions;

(4) for quality monitoring to ensure that each home energy efficiency retrofit for which a rebate is provided is documented in a certificate that—

(A) is provided by the contractor and certified by a third party to the homeowner; and

(B) details the work performed, the equipment and materials installed, and the projected energy savings or energy generation to support accurate valuation of the retrofit;

(5) to provide a contractor performing a home energy efficiency retrofit or an aggregator who has the right to claim a rebate $200 for each home located in a disadvantaged community that receives a home energy efficiency retrofit for which a rebate is provided under the program; and

(6) to ensure that a homeowner or aggregator does not receive a rebate for the same upgrade through both a HOMES rebate program and any other Federal grant or rebate program, pursuant to subsection (c)(7).

(c) HOMES rebate program

(1) In general

A HOMES rebate program carried out by a State energy office receiving a grant pursuant to this section shall provide rebates to homeowners and aggregators for whole-house energy saving retrofits begun on or after August 16, 2022, and completed by not later than September 30, 2031.

(2) Amount of rebate

Subject to paragraph (3), under a HOMES rebate program, the amount of a rebate shall not exceed—

(A) for individuals and aggregators carrying out energy efficiency upgrades of single-family homes—

(i) in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 20 percent but less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I) $2,000; and

(II) 50 percent of the project cost;

(ii) in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I) $4,000; and

(II) 50 percent of the project cost; and

(iii) for measured energy savings, in the case of a home or portfolio of homes that achieves energy savings of not less than 15 percent—

(I) a payment rate per kilowatt hour saved, or kilowatt hour-equivalent saved, equal to $2,000 for a 20 percent reduction of energy use for the average home in the State; or

(II) 50 percent of the project cost;

(B) for multifamily building owners and aggregators carrying out energy efficiency upgrades of multifamily buildings—

(i) in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 20 percent but less than 35 percent, $2,000 per dwelling unit, with a maximum of $200,000 per multifamily building;

(ii) in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 35 percent, $4,000 per dwelling unit, with a maximum of $400,000 per multifamily building; or

(iii) for measured energy savings, in the case of a multifamily building or portfolio of multifamily buildings that achieves energy savings of not less than 15 percent—

(I) a payment rate per kilowatt hour saved, or kilowatt hour-equivalent saved, equal to $2,000 for a 20 percent reduction of energy use per dwelling unit for the average multifamily building in the State; or

(II) 50 percent of the project cost; and

(C) for individuals and aggregators carrying out energy efficiency upgrades of a single-family home occupied by a low- or moderate-income household or a multifamily building not less than 50 percent of the dwelling units of which are occupied by low- or moderate-income households—

(i) in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 20 percent but less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I) $4,000 per single-family home or dwelling unit; and

(II) 80 percent of the project cost;

(ii) in the case of a retrofit that achieves modeled energy system savings of not less than 35 percent, the lesser of—

(I) $8,000 per single-family home or dwelling unit; and

(II) 80 percent of the project cost; and

(iii) for measured energy savings, in the case of a single-family home, multifamily building, or portfolio of single-family homes or multifamily buildings that achieves energy savings of not less than 15 percent—

(I) a payment rate per kilowatt hour saved, or kilowatt hour-equivalent saved, equal to $4,000 for a 20 percent reduction of energy use per single-family home or dwelling unit, as applicable, for the average single-family home or multifamily building in the State; or

(II) 80 percent of the project cost.

(3) Rebates to low- or moderate-income households

On approval from the Secretary, notwithstanding paragraph (2), a State energy office carrying out a HOMES rebate program using a grant awarded pursuant to this section may increase rebate amounts for low- or moderate-income households.

(4) Use of funds

A State energy office that receives a grant pursuant to this section may use not more than 20 percent of the grant amount for planning, administration, or technical assistance related to a HOMES rebate program.

(5) Data access guidelines

The Secretary shall develop and publish guidelines for States relating to residential electric and natural gas energy data sharing.

(6) Exemption

Activities carried out by a State energy office using a grant awarded pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the expenditure prohibitions and limitations described in section 420.18 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations.

(7) Prohibition on combining rebates

A rebate provided by a State energy office under a HOMES rebate program may not be combined with any other Federal grant or rebate, including a rebate provided under a high-efficiency electric home rebate program (as defined in section 18795a(d) of this title), for the same single upgrade.

(d) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Disadvantaged community

The term “disadvantaged community” means a community that the Secretary determines, based on appropriate data, indices, and screening tools, is economically, socially, or environmentally disadvantaged.

(2) HOMES rebate program

The term “HOMES rebate program” means a Home Owner Managing Energy Savings rebate program established by a State energy office as part of an approved State energy conservation plan under the State Energy Program.

(3) Low- or moderate-income household

The term “low- or moderate-income household” means an individual or family the total annual income of which is less than 80 percent of the median income of the area in which the individual or family resides, as reported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, including an individual or family that has demonstrated eligibility for another Federal program with income restrictions equal to or below 80 percent of area median income.

(Pub. L. 117–169, title V, § 50121, Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 2033.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was enacted as part of Pub. L. 117–169, and not as part of div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, which enacted this chapter.

Definitions

For definitions of “greenhouse gas”, “Secretary”, “State”, “State energy office”, and “State Energy Program” as used in this section, see section 50111 of Pub. L. 117–169, set out as a note under section 17113b of this title.