With most major U.S. electric and gas utilities targeting net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner, and many potential pathways being explored to achieve this, there is widespread agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) assessment that prioritizing energy efficiency is among the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy use and emissions, making it the ideal first step to decarbonization.
The International Energy Agency report, “Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector” identifies energy efficiency as the first of seven net-zero emissions pillars, observing that energy efficiency measures are front‐loaded, and will play their largest role from now until 2030.
Residential energy efficiency, an important contributor to overall conservation, has been earmarked in the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides nearly $400 billion to support clean energy and address climate change, including $8.8 billion for home energy rebates. Four states—California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and New York—are the first to submit funding applications for the DOE Home Energy Rebates Program, which will help American families lower energy costs by upgrading home appliances, insulating their homes, installing heat pumps, and making additional energy-efficient improvements.
With heating and cooling accounting for about half of the average household’s annual energy consumption, adoption of high-efficiency HVAC equipment is key to achieving utility savings objectives. HomeServe, a leading provider of utility-sponsored home protection solutions, offers residential heating and cooling protection plans that can increase YES decisions for heat pumps, mini-splits, and other high-efficiency systems to replace failing equipment. The solution’s educational customer outreach and face-to-face interaction with repair professionals reinforces energy efficiency awareness and “primes the pump” for decisions at the end of equipment life. Upon equipment failure,
HomeServe can offer replacement options, including a subscription that incorporates a high-efficiency equipment lease, installation, annual maintenance, and unlimited repairs. The program can seamlessly integrate with utility rebate programs and can utilize the utility’s preferred trade allies.
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