Fossil gas stoves were replaced with induction cooktops as part of a retrofit project at the McKinney Manor apartments in San Diego, California. Image Credit: California Energy Commission
Environment United StatesFree Clean Energy Upgrades Reach Low-Income Homes
A major home electrification programme in the United States is providing low-income households with free energy-efficient appliances and upgrades, reducing emissions and improving living conditions.
“The Equitable Building Decarbonization Program demonstrates that climate action and affordability can go hand in hand,” says Andrew McAllister, California Energy Commissioner.
California has allocated $432.5 million to the programme, with additional federal funding bringing the expected budget for direct home upgrades to $493.5 million. An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 households could benefit from heat pumps, induction cooktops, insulation and other improvements at no cost. The first project is already complete at a senior housing complex in San Diego, with further installations planned across the state. Funded largely through California’s carbon market, the initiative aims to make cleaner, more comfortable homes accessible to disadvantaged communities while supporting the state’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.
