February 2025 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== Federal Pause Issued on Clean Energy Funding   On Monday, January 20, President Trump issued an Executive Order that paused all disbursement of any funds related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The executive order, “Unleashing American Energy,” …

January 2025 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== Maine Files Energy Storage Procurement Recommendations The Maine Governors Energy Office (GEO) was directed by the state legislature to consult with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to evaluate the increase of capacity for utility-scale energy storage systems. The states policy sets a goal to procure cost-effective energy storage and diversify its energy resources. …

December 2024 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== Virginia Announced Launch of Clean Energy Innovation Bank The Virginia Department of Energy has announced the launch of the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (VCEIB) after similar legislation was vetoed earlier this year. As a green bank, VCEIB will mobilize public and private capital to bridge the gaps in clean energy financing in …

November 2024 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== California Launches Home Energy Rebate Program The U.S. Department of Energy announced California has launched program activities under the federal Home Energy Rebates Program, with $300 million in funding, supported by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Home Energy Rebates program is part of the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA) passed as …

October 2024 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== States Launch Home Energy Rebates Program The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Arizona, New Mexico, Maine, and Rhode Island have launched their Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs. New Mexico: NM’s HEAR will provide low-income single-family homeowners and low- and middle-income renters up to $14,000 in rebates to upgrade equipment and appliances. …

August 2024 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== EPA Announces Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program Awards  The Biden-Harris administration recently announced the award of $4.3 billion in implementation grants under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)-funded Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program. The 25 selected applications will fund projects in 30 states including one Tribe. Eight of the selected applications were submitted …

September 2024 Policy Blog

Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== Xcel Energy’s Clean Heat Plan for Colorado Moving Forward  Colorado’s largest investor-owned utility, Xcel Energy, should soon receive a written order from the state’s Public Utilities Commission to finalize and implement its “2024-2028 Clean Heat Plan.” The plan directs more than $440 million over the next three years towards electrification and energy efficiency, …

ICAST Experts Weigh In: Redesigning the Federal Weatherization Assistance Program

By Ryan Kristoff | Vice President, Grant Programs Mr. Kristoff grows the organization by securing the funding and partnerships necessary to build new programs, expand to new geographies, and add services to its one-stop shop. In April, through Tennessee’s new Multifamily Weatherization Assistance Program, ICAST completed its first multifamily weatherization project, covering 80 units at the Summercrest Apartments in North Knoxville. The …

Announcements: Program Updates

ICAST Exceeding Goals for Healthy Homes Grant. In 2022, the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development awarded ICAST nearly $2 million for a Healthy Homes (HH) Production Grant in New Mexico. We have been diligently working on retrofitting low-income multifamily housing units, with the aim of significantly improving health conditions and energy efficiency for the residents. As part of …

Money on the Move: Accessing Incentives for Your Green Projects

By Ravi Malhotra Originally published in Utah Rental Housing Journal More funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are working their way toward communities. For example, Utah’s Office of Energy Development is currently preparing its applications for the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s funded Home Energy Rebate programs. The Environmental Protection Agency is considering applications under …