Home Star rebate plan OK'd by House panel

(Photo of energy-efficiency retrofit from Flickr and the Center for Neighborhood Technology)

Home Star, a residential energy-efficiency rebate program, was approved Wednesday by a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

The program, touted by the Obama Administration, would give 50% rebates of up to $1,500 for retrofitting homes to make them more energy-efficient. The rebates would come to consumers through the contractors doing the work. For an entire home upgrade, the rebate could be as much as $3,000.

Backed by the National Association for Manufacturers, the “Cash for Caulkers” bill is promoted as creating jobs and saving energy and therefore money and carbon emissions.

Democrats capped the bill at $6 billion, while Republicans said $1 billion was enough.

A similar bill is making its way through the Senate.

A related bill, Building Star, would provide rebates of up to 30% for commercial buildings.

For more on the Home Star program, see the White House Web site.

(Sources: E&E Daily, E&E News PM)