Massachusetts and four other New England states recently received a $450 million federal grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help boost efforts to get residents to replace natural gas or oil heating systems with electric heat pumps. The initiative is a part of the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Called the New England Heat Pump Accelerator, the new program will help train and recruit new HVAC contractors and offers financial incentives to large wholesale distributors to both stock more product and sell heat pumps to contractors at lower prices. The idea is that contractors will be more likely to suggest their customers install an electric heat pump or hot water heater and perhaps pass on savings to customers. Residents will continue to get rebates from state energy efficiency programs like Mass Save.
Under the program, low- and moderate-income residents will get financial help to convert to heat pumps. As required by the federal government’s Justice40 initiative, at least 40% of the grant money will be used in disadvantaged communities.
Read the WBUR article here.
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