Obama Administration Announces Sweeping Clean Energy Savings For All Americans Initiative #CleanEnergy #ClimateChange

On Tuesday, the Obama Administration and six government agencies announced a comprehensive Clean Energy Savings For All Americans Initiative. The new initiative is aimed at providing Americans, specifically low income communities, the option to transition to clean energy and finance efficiency upgrades to their homes.

This includes, among other things, the Property-Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, programs which allow for these upgrades to homes by using municipal bonds that are repayable on property taxes, a DOE-backed Community Solar Challenge, technical assistance for the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and launching the Solar Training Network.

In response, Sierra Club President Aaron Mair released the following statement:

“The Sierra Club applauds the Obama Administration’s continued commitment to moving toward a just and equitable economy powered by clean energy. The most affordable energy is the energy we don’t need to use, and this new initiative will help ensure that low income families and communities can use programs like PACE and the Community Solar Challenge to finance efficiency upgrades and transition to clean energy sources like solar in a cost-effective way.

“Low income communities and communities of color spend a disproportionate amount of their income on energy bills and gain the most from simple improvements. Today’s announcement provides simple and meaningful ways to empower these communities to save on their electricity bills and create more resilient and healthy homes.

“As we move toward an economy powered by 100 percent clean energy, we must ensure that our transition benefits all Americans. This is a good step in that direction, and it’s time for all federal agencies, including the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to follow in the Administration’s footsteps and support this important tool for low income communities.”