Bill Overview
Title: ICEE HOT Act of 2022
Description: This bill revises the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program by allowing states to provide rebates to distributors and original equipment manufacturers of certain electrical heating appliances (e.g., heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and heat pump clothes dryers) that are made in the United States.
Sponsors: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Target Audience
Population: People employed in manufacturing and distribution of electrical heating appliances
Estimated Size: 130000
- The bill relates to energy-efficient appliance rebates, specifically for electrical heating appliances.
- The bill targets distributors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of eligible appliances.
- Appliance distribution and manufacturing industries are present globally.
- Heat pumps and other electrical heating appliances are a growing sector worldwide as demand for energy efficiency increases.
- Appliance manufacturers are a subset of the global manufacturing workforce. The global electrical appliance industry involves millions of workers, but only a fraction specializes in heating appliances.
- Manfacturers and distributors of electrical heating appliances will be the primary businesses affected by the legislation.
Reasoning
- The ICEE HOT Act primarily affects a specific sector: manufacturers and distributors of electrical heating appliances in the US. These constitute a small subset of the broader manufacturing workforce.
- The estimated number of people employed in this sector is roughly 130,000 in the US, making this a quite specific and relatively niche target population compared to broader employment sectors.
- Since the policy provides financial incentives for US-made appliances, those directly involved in the manufacturing and distribution might experience varying impacts based on their role and company size.
- For others not directly tied to the manufacturing or distribution of appliances, such as consumers and general population, the policy's impact might manifest indirectly through market trends or energy cost shifts, and thus their direct wellbeing change might be minimal.
- The budget limitations imply focused assistance, meaning not every distributor or OEM will benefit uniformly, impacting perceptions and experiences differently within the sector.
Simulated Interviews
Plant Manager at a Heat Pump Manufacturing Plant (Clinton, South Carolina)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems beneficial as it might boost production demand for our heat pumps.
- I'm excited about potential business expansion and job security for my team.
- However, there's a concern about whether the rebate distribution will be fair across manufacturers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Sales Representative for an Appliance Distributor (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could increase demand for our products, which is great.
- I hope our company can qualify for the rebates early to compete effectively.
- However, the complexity of compliance could be burdensome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Owner of a Small HVAC Installation Business (Austin, Texas)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be a game changer if it leads to more affordable heat pumps for my clients.
- I'm hopeful for increased customer interest in energy-efficient installations.
- Rebate policies have been hit or miss in the past, so implementation will be key.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Appliance Store Owner (Portland, Oregon)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Rebates might increase demand, but I worry about competing with bigger stores for limited stock.
- Access to U.S.-made heat pumps could be beneficial, need wholesale pricing to stay competitive.
- Overall, this could help make energy-efficient appliances more mainstream.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Junior Engineer in an HVAC Firm (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Excited about the policy's focus on innovation and local production incentives.
- Hope that this pushes further green technology developments in our field.
- An increase in government support can energize our R&D workload positively.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired Electrical Engineer (Rochester, New York)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is a good step towards incentivizing local production, which we've needed for years.
- It's unclear how retirees might benefit unless energy costs drop generally.
- I hope the rebates do encourage more domestic jobs and production.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Environmental Policy Analyst (Burlington, Vermont)
Age: 35 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This aligns well with larger trends towards sustainable energy practices and is a positive move.
- The focus on US manufacturing is essential for local economic growth.
- Effectiveness will depend on execution and actual uptake of the rebates.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Middle School Science Teacher (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Educational opportunities about energy efficiency could increase as products become more mainstream.
- I might look into more energy-efficient options for my home.
- The policy is a positive nudge for broader awareness of sustainable practices among families.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Regional Manager at a Retail Chain (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could impact how we stock products, focusing on US-made options if they prove cost-effective.
- A challenge will be managing rebate-related logistics and keeping shelves stocked.
- Long-term competition from purely online retailers might intensify though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Appliance Repair Technician (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More efficient products might mean fewer breakdowns but also a need to specialize in new technologies.
- There's potential for growth in service contracts if new installations rise.
- The policy might open up more opportunities to work with local suppliers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $130000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $150000000)
Year 2: $110000000 (Low: $90000000, High: $130000000)
Year 3: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 5: $90000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $110000000)
Year 10: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 100: $25000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $35000000)
Key Considerations
- Rebate implementation may face bureaucratic hurdles affecting rollout speed.
- The overall environmental impact depends on public uptake and technology efficiency.
- There could be a resurgence in domestic appliance manufacturing jobs.