The federal Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law two years ago today, and some Boulderites believe that’s an anniversary worth celebrating.
Tomorrow, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 1144 Green Circle. The event aims to provide the same “pomp and circumstance” for a home newly electrified through IRA rebates as for the opening of a manufacturing facility, said Jim Hooton, a board member of Go Electric Colorado, a group helping Boulder residents electrify their homes and cars. The event is a collaboration between Go Electric Colorado, Rewiring America and the Boulder chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby — all organizations working to accelerate electrification.
It is meant “to build awareness that this money is available, and why homeowners should take advantage of it and how they can,” Hooton said.
Most electric appliances still have a higher upfront cost than their non-electric counterparts. Hooton hopes Boulderites will understand that the rebates and grants provided through the IRA level the playing field, allowing homeowners to offset some of those initial costs and benefit from the utility bill savings electric appliances often provide.
Some Coloradans have already gotten the message. Hooton noted that in 2023, Coloradans used $210 million worth of clean energy credits and home efficiency credits from the IRA. He calculated that while Colorado has 1.7% of the U.S. population, it used 2.5% of the IRA money allocated last year.
“We’re punching above our weight,” he said.
Yet uncertainty accompanies the celebration of this new electrification spending: the presidential election.
Brett Fleishman, a senior climate strategist with Boulder County, echoed much of Hooton’s excitement over the benefits the IRA offers to Boulder residents. Fleishman said that not only are federal rebates available for homeowners and electric vehicle enthusiasts, but additional state and local resources will also be accessible this fall thanks to IRA grants won by both the State of Colorado and the Denver metro region.
“We’re in the middle of a climate crisis and we should move off fossil fuels as fast as we can,” Fleishman said. “These programs are going to help folks do that.”
But Fleishman added that if the Republican candidate wins the presidency, excitement could quickly turn to desperation.
“If Trump is elected, people should take advantage of those programs absolutely immediately,” he said, “because they’re going to disappear,”
Fleishman said the state, county and Xcel Energy are collaborating to create a one-stop shop for Boulderites to learn about available rebates and incentives for electrification and how to access them. That website should be up by the end of the year. For now, a good resource is RewiringAmerica.org, which has a calculator to help people understand what cost savings are available to them based on their income and location. More locally, goelectriccolorado.org and energysmartyes.com are options for Boulderites looking to tackle electrification sooner rather than later.
And of course, those looking to understand the process can attend the Aug. 17 event. As Hooton said, it will help Boulder residents learn how to begin their electrification journey, what some of the potential pitfalls are, and what resources are available to help them.
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