Davids Celebrates Historic Climate Legislation That’s Lowering Energy Costs

OVERLAND PARK, KS – Today, on the one-year anniversary of historic legislation to lower costs and fight climate change, Representative Sharice Davids visited a local business to highlight how Kansas businesses and families can receive discounts to update appliances or tax credits to install clean energy systems like solar panels. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which Davids was the only member of Kansas’ Congressional delegation to support, is the most significant climate legislation in U.S. history.

“I voted for this historic legislation to lower costs for families and businesses, and I saw today one example of how that has become reality in Kansas,” said Davids. “As we celebrate its one-year anniversary, this law is lowering health care costs, growing the middle class with new clean energy and manufacturing jobs, and making the largest investment to fight climate change in our nation’s history. I was proud to support it and will keep working to make life more affordable for Kansans."

Many of the law’s responsible, pro-growth policies are already at work for Kansans right now, with even more progress on the way. It could save families an average of $500 per year on energy bills and is providing discounts to help families upgrade to more efficient appliances and vehicles. Davids previously announced that, thanks to the law, Kansas’ Third Congressional District has created more clean energy jobs than any other congressional district in the country. Specifically, the Inflation Reduction Act:

• Clean Energy Manufacturing: Accelerates U.S. manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and critical minerals processing through targeted incentives.
• Electric Buses: Replaces traditional heavy-duty vehicles from school and transit buses and garbage trucks with clean heavy-duty vehicles through a $1 billion federal investment.
• Affordable Housing Energy Efficiency: Establishes a $1 billion grant program to make affordable housing more energy efficient.
• Emissions Reductions: Includes the largest ever climate and energy investment that will reduce harmful emissions 40 percent by 2030.

“After previously delaying the purchase of new solar panels due to too high installation costs, our building installed new solar panels last year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s solar tax credit, which lowered those costs. Now, we’re expecting our energy bills to essentially be free within the next five years,” said Sonia Garapaty, Owner/CEO, FSC, Inc. “Adding solar has reduced our operating budget and lowered electricity costs. I’m glad we got to discuss these successes with Rep. Davids today.”

“After the IRA was signed into law, our company saw an immediate boost in interest from folks in the community to install solar,” said Ryan Evans, Principal, SunSmart Technologies. “Last year, we worked with FSC, Inc. to quantify how solar might be able to help them reach their net-zero goals with the help of Inflation Reduction Act incentives. They’re now below five years in their return-on-investment and their utility bills have dropped from $2,000 to $200 some months. Today, we saw the successes of this project and gave thanks to Rep. Davids for helping to promote clean and affordable sources of power.”

Today, Davids visited FSC, Inc., an engineering firm in Overland Park, which had new solar panels installed on their building, enabling the building owner to take advantage of certain IRA clean energy tax provisions. The tax credit lowered the cost of installation, which previously caused the building owner to decline solar panel installation one year prior. Because of the lower electricity costs, an analysis found that FSC, Inc. should expect a five-year return on investment, meaning their electricity will be free after five years. The analysis also found that yearly electrical production from the solar panels will meet or exceed energy use, making the building a net-zero energy facility.

Along with the climate and energy saving provisions, the Inflation Reduction Act includes policies to lower health care costs, reduce our country’s deficit, and support Kansas farmers. Specifically, it:

• Health Care: Empowers Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug costs, caps insulin at $35 a month for Medicare beneficiaries, and extends tax breaks for people who purchase insurance on Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges through 2025, saving the average household in the Kansas Third District $980 a year.
  • Today, Davids released a report on lower prices of insulin in Kansas’ Third District.
• Responsible Policy to Fight Inflation: Reduces the national deficit by at least $305 billion through 2031 via cost-saving programs and closing tax loopholes on billionaires and the 150 wealthiest corporations.
• Agriculture and Farming: Supports climate-smart agriculture practices through more than $20 billion in federal investments, allocates federal resources for clean energy in rural communities, and invests in the domestic production of biofuels, including infrastructure needed for sustainable aviation fuel.

Kansans looking to learn more about how the law can help them lower costs should visit Davids resource webpage. For specific information on how people can take advantage of the climate and energy policies, families and businesses should visit here and here.