Emissions reductions

While political action is one of the most powerful ways to help facilitate climate action at a broader level (join our hub to do so!), depending on our circumstances (such as financial, work, time), we can already choose to take action to mitigate climate change to some degree ourselves in our own households and communities.

The chart below, from the article "Quantifying the potential for climate change mitigation of consumption options" published in Environmental Research Letters (Ivanova et al. 2020), quantifies the potential for emissions reductions for 60 consumption options. The options are ordered by the median mitigation potential, and the Xs represent the average.

Rewiring America has compiled a list of federal incentives made possible by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act: https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/electric-tax-credits

Shift to BEV (battery electric vehicle)

• Federal incentives: up to $7500 tax credit for new vehicles, $4000 tax credit for pre-owned vehicles, both depending on vehicle MSRP and source of components, income requirements: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/credits-for-new-clean-vehicles-purchased-in-2023-or-after

• NJ has a rebate for purchasing an electric vehicle and level 2 charging station: https://dep.nj.gov/drivegreen/affordability-incentives/

Renewable energy production

• 30% federal tax credit for solar panels, battery storage (at least 3 kWh), from the Inflation Reduction Act: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/residential-clean-energy-credit

Heat pump

• 30% federal tax credit for air source heat pump and heat pump water heaters, up to $2000 per year: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/energy-efficient-home-improvement-credit