Rewiring America

We were named in April, but today, on the two year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act being signed into law as the biggest climate investment in history, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officially awarded our Power Forward Communities coalition a $2 billion National Clean Investment Fund grant alongside our coalition members Habitat for Humanity International, Enterprise Community Partners, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and United Way. As part of this coalition working on single-family homes and apartments, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities, Rewiring America will be announcing local community partnerships in the coming months. We're excited to have these resources to help shape the market, draw in private investment to this work, and for families, help make going electric easier! Read the press release here:

tired: spending hours scrubbing greasy, gritty gas stove grates after cooking thanksgiving dinner wired: cooking thanksgiving dinner on an electric stove, which cleans up faster than a kid on allowance day rewired: ordering 11 extra-large pizzas for thanksgiving and not having to step foot in the kitchen at all

“Last year, we had 70,000 pounds of produce; by adding this agrivoltaics project, not only have we learned that interrelationship between this type of energy generation and vegetable production, we’re going to add about 30,000 pounds of food in the first year, taking us to a whopping 100,000 pounds of food.” With solar panels, Colorado farmers are producing clean energy and vegetables at the same time. https://lnkd.in/giFhPiAH

“We still farm and do everything we used to, except underneath solar panels.” That’s Chad Raines, a fourth-generation farmer in Lamesa, Texas. When a multi-decade drought decreased his yields, he switched gears, embracing solar grazing. The solar company pays Raines to have his 4,000 sheep eat the grass underneath the solar panels in a set-up that’s a win-win for the energy company, the farmers, and the sheep (yum, grass). It’s also a set-up that stands to generate a lot of revenue: Per the Washington Post, “Agrivoltaics, the practice of sharing energy and food production on the same plot of land” is an industry projected to reach a value of $9.3 billion by 2031. [??: Samuel Gilbert, The Washington Post]

“Matusiak said that while there's an enormous amount of work ahead, he's optimistic. His job is to help people understand the value of going electric, such as saving money on their utility bills, living in healthier homes with better air quality, and protecting the planet.” Our co-founder, president, and CEO Ari Matusiak was recognized by Business Insider’s third annual Climate Action list: https://lnkd.in/ejWUh-9e

“On the hottest day of the year, our air conditioner failed. With the IRA and other incentives, we received a 25% cost reduction — about $6,300. Our air conditioning bill is now halved. My persistent cough, likely aggravated by burning gas in the home, has improved.” https://lnkd.in/gKnsPJKW

slow moments that are good: - basking in the sun - savoring a cup of chamomile tea - reading the latest BookTok recommendation in the park slow moments that are not so good: - waiting forever for your gas stove to boil water

Everything’s bigger in Texas — including solar. This year, the Lone Star State passed California as the state generating the most energy from big solar projects ?? https://lnkd.in/etsbjGe8

Our statement on the election: Our mission at Rewiring America has been the same since day one: Make efficient, electric machines affordable for households and communities. It’s about helping families purchase the appliances that will make their lives better. These are upgrades people deserve to have the freedom to choose — if they want cleaner, cheaper, and more comfortable machines in their homes. Since the IRA, companies have made $900 billion in clean energy and manufacturing investments, and Americans have upgraded their homes to the tune of $8.4 billion. When you see the money and energy pouring into clean energy projects in districts throughout the country, you know the clean energy boom is unstoppable, even as its pace must be scaled and accelerated in the coming years. Our project is an enduring one, rooted in our commitment to helping households go electric. But it is also about benefits to community, all across this country, where generating clean energy at home is a win-win-win — from local jobs to improved air quality to greater resilience. We will continue to work to give America the freedom to choose better. ?

Incredible. ??