Warming your house the green way just got more expensive

NPR. This is The Indicator from Planet Money. I'm Darien Woods here with friend of the show Nate Heggie, host of the public radio podcast Outside In. Great to be back. You've not been on the show for a while? No. I, I was busy moving. I'm in Juneau, Alaska now. And, actually, lately, I've been spending my days digging out of the absolutely record breaking amount of snow we had. Yeah. I've been doing a bit of shoveling here. It has been quite the brisk winter, I must say. Yeah. Sub zero temperatures across the country. And I'm sure folks are looking at their energy bills with their jaws dropped. Like, I spent more than a thousand dollars on heating oil already this winter. But if Americans want to make their homes more energy efficient after this cold snap, it might cost them extra. Yeah. And that's because a series of clean energy tax credits have officially expired. They saved many people thousands of dollars on everything from heat pumps to insulation to energy efficient wood stows. And now they are no more. So today on the show, what that means for homeowners and the renewables industry. Plus, who's happy these tax credits are gone? Support for this podcast and the following message come from Indeed. Spend more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes with Indeed sponsored jobs. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit now at indeed.com/indicator. Terms and conditions apply. Support for NPR and the following message come from Edward Jones. What does it mean to live a rich life? Maybe it's full of brave first leaps, tearful goodbyes, and everything in between. And with over a hundred years of experience, your Edward Jones financial advisor can help. Edward Jones, member SIPC. This message comes from NPR sponsor, Capella University. Learning doesn't have to get in the way of life. With Capella's game changing FlexPath learning format, you can set your own deadlines and learn on your own schedule. That means you don't have to put your life on hold to earn your degree. Instead, enjoy learning your way and pursue your educational and career goals without missing a beat. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at capella.edu. When Michelle Dutra and Brandon Jackson bought their first house in Juneau, Alaska, there were a few quirks. The pipes didn't connect. And one of the, sinks, they just, like, emptied into our crawl space into the house. But one of the first big upgrades they made for the house wasn't fixing the plumbing. It was installing a heat pump. Now if you are unfamiliar with a heat pump, they are an energy efficient heating and air conditioning system that relies on electricity rather than oil or natural gas. In Juneau, having one can save residents hundreds of dollars a year in heating costs, but they aren't cheap to buy. It's crazy how expensive it is. Like, you know, just for …