Wisconsin

McFarland, Wisconsin (population 10,000) built a net-zero emissions firehouse building thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. The firehouse, which will generate 100 percent of the energy it uses, was made possible through the “Direct Pay” or “Elective Pay” section of the IRA, allowing local governments to receive a cash refund for certain clean energy projects. 

The IRA funding encouraged McFarland officials to create a sustainable redesigned fire station, because they estimated they could receive five percent of project costs back. Beyond those savings, the firehouse will save substantially on energy costs every month. The station boasts EV chargers, motion-sensor lighting, air-dried water hoses, geothermal underground heating, and an impressive array of solar panels. 

“In fire departments, there is a stigma with going net zero that you’re sacrificing comfort,” Chief Chris Dennis, McFarland’s Fire & Rescue, said, “but we’ve seen the opposite happen.”