SMACNA and SMART took part in a series of White House Executive Roundtable meetings that focused on heat pump manufacturing and utilization. The event featured Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation John Podesta. SMACNA and SMART were two organizations invited to join CEOs from top manufacturers at the White House. Executive Director for Government and Political Affairs Stan Kolbe and Executive Director for Labor Relations Jason Watson represented SMACNA. SMART Assistant to the General President Michael Coleman and Government Affairs Representative Tiffany Finck-Haynes represented SMART. NEMI Administrator Lisa Davis represented NEMI.
The discussion was closed to the press and the public to ensure that all parties could engage in frank dialogue about the topics at hand. The meeting focused on how pairing public and private investments with the new Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Defense Production Act programs – such as tax credits, rebates, grants, and loans – will spur the deployment of and help meet residential and commercial demand for heat pumps - smoothing the tax incentives for full homeowner and contractor implementation and workforce expansion issues were also considered.
The Biden Administration officials in attendance used the meeting to underscore their commitment to efforts that will create high-paying U.S.-based manufacturing jobs while lowering costs for American families along the way.
Additionally, as part of the Administration’s effort, the Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced a $250 million funding opportunity to accelerate electric heat pump manufacturing in America. This is the first funding opportunity announcement stemming from DOE’s new authorization, invoked by President Biden last summer, to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to increase domestic production of five key clean energy technologies, including electric heat pumps. This funding, provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, will build a clean energy economy, create good-paying manufacturing jobs, and help families save money on their energy bills. Increased use of electric heat pumps for heating and cooling will help lower energy costs for American families and businesses and create healthier indoor spaces through American-made clean energy technologies.
