Nonprofit Spotlight: Rewiring America


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In May, PennyLoafer donors collectively gave to Rewiring America!

The Rundown

  • Years founded: 2020

  • Leadership: Co-founder and Chief Scientist, Saul Griffith, is an engineer, inventor and recipient of the MacArthur “genius” grant. He is also the founder of OtherLab, a R&D firm that’s mapped the entire U.S. energy system to pinpoint key leverage points for sustainability. He’s author of Electrify, a book advocating for wide scale electrification.

  • Issue they address: energy efficiency and decarbonizing the economy.

  • What they do: advocate for electrifying everything in our communities - from buildings and cars to household appliances.

  • How they do it:

    • Policy advocacy at the federal level

    • Research and analysis to inform policy + develop actionable data and tools for Americans to transition to electric.

    • Education on the importance of replacing fossil fueled powered cars and home appliances with electric options powered by renewable energy.

Why they were chosen

Supported by a world-class research team, Rewiring America is providing the technical expertise and data to layout a blueprint for Americans to transition to a clean energy economy in the next decade.

  • They ambitiously call for a 100% adoption of electrified technology, starting with our homes, and their plan uses existing tools and technologies (ex: wind and solar, electric vehicles, heat pumps.)
  • They’re committed to research and using the best data to advocate for policies that support the rapid deployment and adoption of electric vehicles, appliances, buildings and more to create green jobs, lower energy bills, and improve air quality.
  • They helped get the nation’s first electrification bill introduced into Congress, aimed at providing Americans – primarily low and moderate income households – with rebates to affordably electrify their homes.

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🥵 Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. The largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (caused by humans) is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.

💨 Rewiring America estimates ~40% of U.S. carbon emissions come from our homes and the vehicles we drive. Check out some of their tools for consumers like you and me:

  • This map shows the benefits of electrification by geographical area, looking at cost savings on energy bills, reduced emissions and jobs created.
  • They have a complete guide on how to upgrade appliances in your home. Not all at once – that would be $$$ – but as things need replaced. (Think: next car is electric, next stove is an induction stove, next water heater is a heat pump). Their guide breaks down the difficulty, upfront costs and impact of each change.

⚡ 2021 was a big year for electrification policy – read about the 5 biggest wins here.

If you enjoyed this and want to get involved, you can support the Climate Change cause on PennyLoafer, starting with as little as $5/month. Each month, you’ll support and learn about a different nonprofit fighting the climate crisis.