The year the clean energy transition became inevitable. With eight electrifying examples to illuminate our case.
It’s been a fully-charged 2024 here at Rewiring America, and an electrifying year for the world. Solar is up, up, and away, heat pumps continue to outsell gas furnaces, great policy and electric commitments took states by (lightning) storm, and people just seem to like electric stuff more and more. And that's no surprise — electric is cleaner, safer, faster, and stronger.
On the eve of an exciting year ahead — a 2025 where we’ll strive to make electrics more affordable, desirable, and accessible for all — let’s look back on this live, laugh, ‘lectrifying year, with our second annual Electrospective.
The Oxford Word of the Year was “brain rot.” But Rewiring’s word of the year was “inevitable.” Because 2024 cemented the unstoppability of the clean energy transition. And nothing can put the EV brakes on our undeniable forward momentum (strictly metaphorical, we will obviously brake for baby ducks crossing the road).
1
We joined forces to make household electrification happen
Our current coalition is so good it hertz.
In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded our Power Forward Communities (PFC) coalition a $2 billion National Clean Investment Fund grant alongside our coalition members Habitat for Humanity, Enterprise Community Partners, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and United Way.
The PFC coalition is dedicated to electrifying single-family homes and apartments, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities. In partnership with PFC, Rewiring America will shape the market, draw in private investment, and make decarbonization affordable for households across the country.
2
Our teachers are tops!
Our team is winning with even more electric coaches.
Our electric coaches — drawn from 41 states — grew to almost 1,000 eager electrifiers in 2024.
Up next, says head coach wrangler (and Rewiring America director of education) Katy Hill: “Looking ahead, we’re hosting another cohort open to a national audience in early 2025, as well as developing an on-demand course model and more regional versions of the course. We’re excited to continue to support coaches with their local coaching and advocacy work!"
On the planning front, more than 6,000 electric upgrades were completed in the Personal Electrification Planner — our home electrification planning tool — including new homes found for over 700 heat pumps!
3
Induction is hot!
Now we're cooking (with magnets).
Our social media presence was smokin’ hot this year — in more ways than one! Our most-engaged post and top video by views both showcased the benefits of induction cooktops. And our Instagram and TikTok collaborations with influencers cooking without gas (get it?) generated over 800,000 plays. Today, our social media audience is 77 percent bigger than it was last year. Yum!
4
We like big scissors and we cannot lie
Our ribbon-cutting events were an electric sensation sweeping the nation.
In August 2024, Rewiring America traveled to 10 states to celebrate homeowners and their clean electric home upgrades, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). For the second anniversary of this landmark law, American homeowners invited media, contractors, local, state, and federal policymakers, and other advocates and business leaders to participate in 13 different “front porch ribbon cutting” events. There they showcased new heat pumps, EV chargers, and other clean electric machines made more affordable by the IRA.
The event series was our most successful local media campaign to date. These electrification celebrations sparked civic joy and generated over 50 stories across print and broadcast local media, including 30 segments on local TV and radio stations. Our ribbon cuttings also had impressive neighborhood turnout, boasting from a dozen to over 60 community members in attendance.
5
Electrification’s health benefits are legion
And are also going to save America a lot of cash.
In 2024, Rewiring America released its first health impacts report, Breathe Easy, highlighting how reducing outdoor air pollution by electrifying our nation’s homes will save billions of dollars in healthcare costs and lead to fewer health complications, hospital visits, and deaths every year. While electrification is often discussed as a key strategy in addressing the climate crisis and lowering energy bills, this new research helps establish electrification as a public health intervention with wide-reaching potential.
6
Runaway policy successes
These were our best and brightest 2024 policy team wins.
Comprehensive climate and energy policy reform in Massachusetts
Massachusetts passed a sweeping climate bill in November that — along with a host of other reforms — would lower utility rates for low- and middle-income consumers. Rewiring America assisted state-based partners in building the public case for the bill, which one sponsor declared “a crystal clear recognition … that electrification will be the Commonwealth’s key strategy to combat climate change.”
Defending a landmark equitable electrification program in California
In the face of steep budget cuts, California was poised to slash its program funding for decarbonization retrofits in low- to moderate-income households by nearly half. Together with environmental justice advocates, Rewiring America helped defend funding for the state’s landmark equitable electrification program, successfully protecting $551 million for the program.
Helping secure $430 million for consumer electrification rebates in Colorado
In May, Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission approved a $440 million Clean Heat budget, dedicated largely to consumer-facing rebates. Citing Rewiring America’s testimony in its deliberations, the PUC gave a green light to what will become the state’s largest electrification rebate program and funded it at over three and a half times the state’s existing allocation under the federal Home Energy Rebate Program. It’s a pivotal opportunity to accelerate market transformation.
Teaming up to win $650 million in building electrification grants
Partners in New England and Colorado landed $650 million in grants for building electrification in July, with help from Rewiring America. The funding from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program will help more than 500,000 single-family and multifamily residential buildings in New England electrify. The grant funds will also provide a range of services in the Denver area including free home retrofits and will upgrade services to low-income and disadvantaged populations.
7
A year of extraordinary events
From the Big Apple to Chicago and parts betwixt and between, our events were fire!
In 2024, we gathered big and we gathered small. From engaging the HVAC community at the AHR Expo to spotting Mr. Heat Pump at Earth Day, to convening our CEOs for Electrification at RE+ and VERGE, we did what we do best: brought together the key players who will help push electrification forward. And that includes Climate Week NYC! From NYC’s Big Switches for an Electrified Life event to envisioning Better Worlds Ahead with Stacey Abrams, we celebrated progress, innovation, and community. Take a look back at the highlights that made this year unforgettable! (And read our guide, the Big Switches, for our big tips on the best electric messaging.)
8
Our site got a glow up
The energy transition is undeniable — this year we scaled up our brand to meet the moment, too.
In 2024, Rewiring America launched a new look and a new website. We want our site to bring communities together and make going electric the affordable, desirable, and better choice for all.
WATT A YEAR!
You can’t spell inevitable without EV
We can’t wait to spark even more great change in 2025.
What will the new year bring? New heights, new energy, fresh momentum. And a delightful dollop of dancing heat pumps. Wishing you a restful and energizing holiday, and an electrifying 2025!