By Ravi Malhotra Originally posted in Tax Credit Advisor, January 2025 After the 2024 elections, many in the multifamily affordable housing sector worry that key Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds may be clawed back by the incoming administration. These funds provide tax credits, grants and other forms of incentives for green and clean energy deployment and have been crucial to closing …
2024 was a banner year for ICAST’s premier demand-side management (DSM) utility program, the Wattsmart multifamily program. This program, administered in partnership with Rocky Mountain Power (RMP), has paved the way for energy efficiency in multifamily housing in Utah since 2018. This program provides cash rebates for energy-efficient upgrades to create a situation where everybody wins: property owners can attract …
As we discussed in our January newsletter, solar energy is reaching a critical mass of affordability and availability within the United States. Before solar, other energy-efficient technologies like the LED lightbulb were in a similar situation: A new technology that can revolutionize energy efficiency and save money stifled by market inertia and too-big-to-fail investments in incumbent technology. LEDs are 90% …
Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Manager ========== Federal Pause Issued on Clean Energy Funding On Monday, January 20, President Trump issued an Executive Order that paused all disbursement of any funds related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The executive order, “Unleashing American Energy,” …
Solar energy generally comes in two varieties: onsite rooftop solar, which we recently discussed with ICAST’s National Solar Solutions Manager, Walter Cupa, and community solar. Today, ICAST’s Director of Community and Utility Solar Development, Sam Lipman, weighs in on community solar and what it means for energy efficiency and saving money for our communities: Community solar is an arrangement wherein …
As the housing affordability crisis worsens yearly and more Americans face homelessness, climate change-induced extreme temperatures continue to stress America’s aging and inefficient housing stock, which leads to spiraling inflation on utility bills that further economically distress America’s most vulnerable families. The confluence of these two issues exacerbates housing precarity and the average American’s ability to recover from financial disaster. …
As the years pass, technologies that were once cutting-edge reach a critical mass of affordability that leads to widespread adoption throughout the market. Solar energy technologies are reaching such a critical mass of affordability and widespread adoption: Every rooftop and parking lot in America is now potentially a site for generating cheap, clean, and renewable energy. According to PR Newswire, …
Bridge Loans Can Unlock Your Property’s Energy Efficiency Potential In the rapidly evolving landscape of green energy, timing is everything. The current influx of investment tax credits and incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) presents an opportunity for multifamily affordable housing, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities to implement solar and energy efficiency upgrades. However, these financial benefits often arrive after …
Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Manager ========== Maine Files Energy Storage Procurement Recommendations The Maine Governors Energy Office (GEO) was directed by the state legislature to consult with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to evaluate the increase of capacity for utility-scale energy storage systems. The states policy sets a goal to procure cost-effective energy storage and diversify its energy resources. …
Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Manager ========== Virginia Announced Launch of Clean Energy Innovation Bank The Virginia Department of Energy has announced the launch of the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (VCEIB) after similar legislation was vetoed earlier this year. As a green bank, VCEIB will mobilize public and private capital to bridge the gaps in clean energy financing in …