(L-R): Alexander Lange, a Wisconsin-based energy sustainability specialist; Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich and District 6 Alderperson Joey Prestley hold a news conference to highlight the city's efforts to weatherize homes, reduce energy costs and improve home efficiency, Oct. 18, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Federal investments are helping power weatherization and energy efficiency initiatives within the Green Bay community.
On Friday, Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich and District 6 Alderperson Joey Prestley held a news conference with Alexander Lange, a Wisconsin-based energy sustainability specialist, to highlight these efforts.
Officials say the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are helping the city reach the benchmarks established in its Clean Energy Plan by reducing energy costs, improving home efficiency and equipping households to prepare for Wisconsin’s hot summers and cold winters.
A key initiative of the BIL is the Weatherization Assistance Program, which allocated $95 million to Wisconsin. WAP offers resources to low-income households to improve home insulation, upgrade heating systems and reduce energy consumption. Leaders say eligible residents can save up to 30% on heating costs.
Additionally, the IRA makes it more affordable for Wisconsin families to purchase energy-efficient appliances, like super-efficient heat pumps, water heaters, clothes dryers, stoves and ovens. Rebates may cover 50-100% of the cost of installing these new electric appliances.
“As mayor, I’m working really hard to ensure that our community members take advantage of those energy incentives that have been made available through these pieces of legislation,” said Genrich. “To reach our goal of 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050, it’s going to require a lot of actions on the city’s part as an organization, but even more for community members here within the city.”
Prestley stressed the impact of these weatherization initiatives, saying he understands firsthand what low-income households in Green Bay are experiencing.
“I grew up poor, and I remember summers with eight of us in the house and one window air conditioner. I remember shivering in bed in the winters because the heat is all going out of the windows and the walls,” he said.
With the Weatherization Assistance Program, we can help people make their homes more energy efficient. They can save on the costs of heating and cooling, and that makes a huge difference — not just for savings, but also for health, for quality of life.
To learn more about the WAP, or to see if you qualify for assistance through the Wisconsin WAP office, click here.
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