Clayton County Energy Burden Facts and Analysis

The Clayton County Energy District (CCED) strengthens its communities by leading, implementing, and accelerating the inclusive transition to local and clean energy. When residents spend less on energy, they save money, emit less carbon, and improve their bottom lines. Unfortunately, while everyone needs energy to survive, many are burdened by the cost of necessity.

Energy Burden = annual utility bills ÷ annual income
An energy burden rate above 6% is considered high.

The Clayton County Energy District examined energy burden rates in Clayton County using the US Department of Energy’s Low Income Data Affordability Tool. 48% of Clayton County residents experience energy burdens higher than 6%; notably, the county’s poorest residents pay the most for energy as a percentage of income.

The county’s 600 lowest-income households use well over 20% of their annual income for home energy costs. These poor households are often energy inefficient and use higher-cost heating fuels like propane and less efficient resistive electric heat.  The communities of Marquette, McGregor, Volga, Elkport, Garber, and Osterdock and rural households do not have access to the gas grid and therefore have higher numbers of households with excessive energy burden (see figures below).

With a focus on households with excessive energy burden rates, the CCED aims to deliver community-wide energy burden relief. We seek funding for community-wide EB relief tools like objective and personalized energy coaching and technical assistance. Clayton County households need to be connected with energy-efficient strategies like electric heat pumps for water and home heating, solar energy generation, and battery storage. Residents also need to know about the opportunities for reducing the cost of deploying these strategies in their homes.

Beginning with a focus on the 600 households with excessive energy burden rates, the CCED aims to deliver community-wide energy burden (EB) relief to Clayton County residents. We seek funding for community-wide EB relief tools like objective and personalized energy coaching and technical assistance. In addition, through community learning sessions, Clayton County residents need to be connected with energy-efficient technologies like electric heat pumps for water and home heating, solar energy generation, and battery storage.

$$ Residents also need to know about the opportunities for reducing the cost of deploying these strategies in their homes through the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

IRA Fact Sheets

  1. The IRA provides 30% renewable energy tax credits for solar arrays, wind generators, battery storage, and geothermal.
  2. In addition, taxpayers are eligible for a 30% tax credit for qualified energy-efficient home energy improvements like heat pump air and water heaters, electrical panel upgrades, windows, and doors.
  3. For income-qualifying households, the IRA provides up to $8000 in rebates for Whole Home Energy Performance Based Improvements, like building envelope upgrades to insulation and windows.

Learn more about going electric with Re-Wiring America’s IRA Guide for you and your family.

Do you need energy burden relief?

How much will get with the Inflation Reduction Act?

*brought to us by our friends at Re-Wiring America

Source: Low-Income Energy Affordability Data Tool

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Posted: June 29, 2023

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Joleen Jansen

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Energy Technologies Inflation Reduction Act Residential Resources cced claytoncounty energyburden residential resources

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