Federal, State, And Private-Sector Leaders Meet In Minnesota As State Rebate Programs Take Shape

(MENAFN- 3BL) August 14, 2024 /3BL/ - Top federal officials, members of the Gov. Tim Walz administration, Minnesota private sector leaders, and local labor and nonprofit representatives gathered Wednesday for a collaborative discussion about home energy and efficiency rebate programs that will be implemented by the state and funded by the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The event -“Maximizing Decarbonization Opportunities Through the IRA Home Energy Rebate Programs” - was convened by the sustainability nonprofit Ceres and hosted at the McKnight Foundation offices in Minneapolis. The event brought together a wide array of experts and stakeholders to discuss Minnesota's plans for the IRA's HOMES and HEAR programs, which use federal funds to empower states to establish new rebate programs that will help residents reduce pollution and save money by upgrading to cleaner, more efficient home appliance and system upgrades.

Participants included business leaders with companies including Franklin Energy, Johnson Controls, Samsung Electronics America , and the Minnesota Retailers Trade Association , which represented Lowe's; government officials in the U.S. Department of Energy, the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget, and the office of U.S. Senator Tina Smith; and representatives from the Laborer's International Union of North America for Minnesota and North Dakota and nonprofit organizations including Ceres, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota, Elevate, the McKnight Foundation, and Rewiring America.

The event provided an opportunity for private-sector, workforce, and consumer stakeholders to share feedback and insight with government officials on rebate program designs. Participants focused on national trends and sought to identify unforeseen challenges and best practices to maximize the climate and financial benefits of home energy and efficiency programs.

Ceres has convened public and private sector leaders to discuss the HOMES and HEAR programs, as well as other opportunities to maximize the historic climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, since it passed into law in 2022. At a Ceres-hosted event in March, seven major manufacturers met with U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Wisconsin officials as that state charted its rebate programs, and Ceres is planning a similar event in Arizona later this month. Ceres has also hosted broader discussions between federal, state, and private-sector leaders about capitalizing on the Inflation Reduction Act in states including Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Michigan.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line-changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.

Media Contact : Helen Booth-Tobin, ...

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