State officials have announced $43 million in federal aid intended to help New Mexicans upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes and keep their heating and cooling bills low.
Under the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department’s Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate program, eligible households can receive up to $14,000 in rebates, according to a news release.
The initiative, backed by the U.S. Department of Energy, aims to increase the use of clean energy across New Mexico. The program offers rebates to help low-income New Mexico residents – homeowners and renters alike – who upgrade their homes with energy-efficient technologies, including insulation, heat pumps, and Energy Star-certified appliances.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, and Energy Department Deputy Secretary David Turk and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham held a news conference Tuesday about the initiative, touting New Mexico as the first state to implement such a program at the point of sale. It’s the third state to implement a rebate program.
“New Mexico is the first state to enable residents to get home-energy efficiency rebates at the point of sale, reflecting our ongoing commitment to leading on the clean-energy transition,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in the release. “These rebates (ensure) that all of our citizens can participate in this transition.”
Heinrich had sponsored legislation included in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that included more than $87 million for the state and New Mexico tribes, with the goal of helping to reduce the upfront cost of whole-home energy efficiency upgrades in both single-family and multi-family homes.
According to a Heinrich news release, in the two years since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law, it has spurred a manufacturing renaissance and helped to position New Mexico as a national leader in the energy industry.
Residents can determine their eligibility for the rebates and find applications here. Those deemed eligible, based on income, will receive coupons that can be redeemed for rebates when purchasing qualified products.
EMNRD Secretary-Designate Melanie Kenderdine said the program will “accelerate New Mexico’s journey to a clean-energy future,” helping to fulfill an early goal of Lujan Grisham.
“We are especially proud that this program will help many New Mexicans who might not otherwise be able to afford to participate in the clean energy transition,” Kenderdine said.
Eligible projects will include ventilation, heat pumps and electrical and weatherization upgrades.
According to the release, the first rebates will be for self-installed insulation projects, with those for other products and contractor-installed projects introduced in the coming months.
Contractors wishing to participate must be certified through the EMNRD’s Energy Conservation and Management Division and the New Mexico Construction Industries Division. Training and certification details will be available through ECAM. Interested contractors can learn more and register at cleanenergy.nm.gov.
ECAM will soon provide a list of authorized installers and additional resources to support residents pursuing the rebates, the news release states.