Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced a bill that would make it more easier for middle- and lower-income families to afford solar rooftop and other renewable energy technologies.
The Clean Energy for All Homes Act would reduce the cost burden of installing PV and energy efficiency devices. The legislation would allow more taxpayers to receive a tax refund on qualified technologies.
A recent study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that reducing average building energy usage through efficiency measures by about 60% would be key to achieving the least-cost 100% renewable grid via building electrification.
This is the latest Ossoff-backed measure to be introduced to Congress. His Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act won a spot in the congressional budget measure, which is under consideration. If passed, that measure would boost domestic solar manufacturing, potentially create thousands of jobs, and accelerate clean energy adoption.
Other senators signed on to the latest bill, including Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), among others.
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. “Making Section 25D refundable unlocks the opportunity for more than 40 million households to realize the benefits of having solar panels at home — including 3.2 million Black households and 3 million Hispanic households,” she said.
The proposed act would encourage home-sited solar and energy efficiency, which is regarded as one of the most efficient ways to decarbonize the grid. The Environmental Protection Agency said distributed generation supports delivery of clean, reliable power, while reducing losses along transmission and distribution lines.
Distributed solar offers homeowners savings, and, when paired with energy storage, resiliency under power outages. It also unlocks a variety of grid services that make energy use more efficient and cost-effective for homeowners and the surrounding community.
