Thursday, June 26, 2025
Three-part blog series by Spring 2025 Energy & Climate Intern Ava Ambroggio
A key factor contributing to the disparity in success between Illinois’ Home Energy Savings (HES) program and Duke Energy’s Neighborhood Energy Saver (NES) and Dominion Energy’s Neighborhood Energy Efficiency Program (NEEP) appears to be significant differences in program funding.
In 2023, HES operated with a yearly budget of $32 million. In contrast, Dominion and Duke Energy allocated approximately…
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Three-part blog series by Spring 2025 Energy & Climate Intern Ava Ambroggio
Recognizing the disproportionate energy burden that low-income communities experience, utilities offer programs to address inefficient energy consumption.
Their programs often feature “direct install” measures, which are energy efficiency upgrades that the utility or its contractors install for free. The alternative is a loan or rebate program that requires cost sharing or upfront investment by participants.
The…
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Three-part blog series by Spring 2025 Energy & Climate Intern Ava Ambroggio
An energy burden is the portion of a household’s annual income spent on home energy costs.
Housing and energy experts recommend that households spend no more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs, with no more than 6 percent dedicated to energy expenses. For example, a household with a $75,000 annual income should spend no…
