Electrifying Everything with Ari Matusiak of Rewiring America
Oct 9, 2023
auto_awesome
Ari Matusiak, founder and CEO of Rewiring America, discusses the importance of electrification and home energy efficiency. Topics include tax credits and rebates, management of electric vehicle incentives, engaging in electrification programs, and renters embracing renewable energy options.
Rewiring America is promoting the use of heat pumps, induction stoves, and electric vehicles to electrify homes.
Rewiring America focuses on shifting the narrative towards electrification and creating a policy framework to support this transition.
Rewiring America provides tools, resources, and support to empower individuals and communities to embrace electrification and participate in the movement for a sustainable future.
Deep dives
Rewiring America: Driving the Electrification Movement
Rewiring America is a key player in the movement to electrify homes, promoting the use of heat pumps, induction stoves, and electric vehicles. The organization was founded by Ari Matuziak, who has an impressive background in affordable housing, renewable energy, and climate policy. Rewiring America focuses on shifting the narrative towards electrification and creating a policy framework to support this transition. They have developed tools and resources, such as a personal electrification planning tool, to help individuals navigate the process of electrifying their homes. Rewiring America also advocates for the implementation of incentives and rebates to make electrification more accessible and affordable for all households.
The Origin Story of Rewiring America
Rewiring America was founded by Ari Matuziak, Saul Griffith, and Alex Lasky. The organization emerged from discussions about climate interventions and the importance of electrification. Saul had a grant to study energy flows and became a strong advocate for electrification, while Ari brought his experience in renewable energy and energy efficiency financing. They connected with Richard Kaufman, who urged them to collaborate, leading to the establishment of Rewiring America. Initially focused on shifting the narrative and creating a policy framework for electrification, Rewiring America has grown into an organization dedicated to electrifying all aspects of daily life.
The Importance of Electrification Progress in the U.S.
Rewiring America recognizes the significance of making progress in electrification across the United States. With 121 million households and numerous machines that need to be electrified, the transition to electric appliances and vehicles is a crucial step in fighting the climate crisis. The organization highlights the need for diversity in energy sources, including rooftop solar and utility-scale renewable energy projects. They emphasize the positive impact that electrification can have on reducing emissions and achieving a more sustainable future.
Empowering Individuals and Communities to Electrify
Rewiring America aims to empower individuals and communities to embrace electrification through education, resources, and support. They provide tools, such as a personal electrification planning tool and a calculator for assessing eligibility for tax credits and rebates. The organization also encourages community engagement by training electrification enthusiasts to be guides and educators in their communities. By building a network of trusted messengers and storytellers, Rewiring America aims to accelerate the transition to electrification while ensuring that all households, including renters, can participate in and benefit from the movement.
The Future of Electrification and Household Engagement
Over the next decade, Rewiring America envisions the home becoming a focal point in the fight against the climate crisis. They believe that individual purchasing decisions, combined with household-level engagement and participation, will drive a shift towards electrification and sustainable practices. By creating a connection between consumer choices, climate impact, and collective action, Rewiring America aims to shape a new politics around climate and drive the necessary changes for a more sustainable future.
Rewiring America is a driving force in the movement to electrify everything. As our homes transition to using heat pumps for heating and cooling, induction stoves for cooking and electric vehicles for transportation, Rewiring America has established itself as the go-to expert resource to help us navigate this transition.
Ari boasts an impressive background that informs his leadership of the organization. He has experience in affordable housing, philanthropy, and the Obama White House, where he served as a special assistant to the president and director of private sector engagement. In this role, he managed the administration's relationships with Fortune 500 CEOs, Wall Street firms, and other business leaders. He then held the position of Chief Strategy Officer at Renovate America, the largest residential energy efficiency and renewable energy financing platform at the time. He was also a co-founder and chairman of Young Invincibles, a national nonprofit focused on creating economic opportunities for young adults.
In addition to leading Rewiring America, Ari is the managing partner at Purpose Venture Group, an advisory firm and incubator focused on launching community-centered ventures to tackle climate change and economic inequality.
In this conversation, Ari discusses Rewiring America's origin story, core work, and the home electrification measures in the Inflation Reduction Act. He provides perspective on the current status of US electrification progress and how each of us can contribute to advancing Rewiring America's mission.
In this episode, we cover:
[03:03]: The founding story of Rewiring America
[11:51]: Hurdles of electrifying homes
[15:58]: Tax credits available to homeowners through the IRA
[20:27]: Stackable rebates and tax credits through federal, state and local programs
*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
Episode recorded on Aug 24, 2023 (Published on Oct 9, 2023)
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.
