Oak Park Expands Energy Efficiency Grants Program by $500k
With a surplus in 2024’s budget, the Oak Park Trustees voted on Dec. 3, 2024, to increase the sustainability budget in the new year. The additional $500,000 will be allocated to the Energy Efficiency Grants Program, enabling Oak Park residents to cut utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Considering the previous grant budget of ~$250,000 has consistently been used to the fullest extent for several years, this very welcome increase allows not only for more home retrofits but also for more technical assistance for residents along the way.
OPCAN’s Climate Coaches volunteer their time to educate Oak Parkers on how to sustainably retrofit and decarbonize their homes. Soon, the Village’s “One Stop Shop” technical assistance program will expand this service to more residents and to owners of commercial buildings as well. In 2022, residential and commercial buildings’ energy use accounted for nearly three-quarters of Oak Park’s emissions. Additional funding will make it easier for residents to lower their homes’ emissions by making any number of sustainability upgrades.
To combat the financial and other barriers to transitioning to clean energy sources, the grants program offers up to $10,000 to low-income residents who want to make their homes more sustainable. Upgrades can include insulation, energy-efficient lighting, upgraded water heaters, high-efficiency shower/faucet upgrades, improved air sealing, thermostat upgrades, solar panels, or upgraded heating, venting, or air conditioning, and even the installation of geothermal energy systems.
These upgrades not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they also save you money in the long run, despite higher one-time up-front costs. For example, a heat pump system can heat up to three times more efficiently than a gas-powered furnace, an energy savings that translates into money savings. With proper insulation and an efficient heat pump system (which both heats and cools), your yearly savings could amount to $380, and a more efficient heat pump could save you upwards of $650 a year. And as the push for sustainability grows, the growing generation of renewable energy will make it cheaper than natural gas, just as solar energy has already outcompeted coal.
With a plethora of support available in 2025, the time is now to start making your home both cheaper and greener to power! OPCAN is grateful for the Village Board’s prioritization of climate action and will continue to support more sustainable action in our Village. Be sure to stay informed on the Climate Ready Oak Park Plan and check back with this page for more resources. If you’re interested in retrofitting your home, apply for the Energy Efficiency Grants Program, or talk to an OPCAN Climate Coach who has already undertaken these sustainable upgrades. The Inflation Reduction Act rebate programs and tax credits can support you further: for details, visit OPCAN’s Resources page.
