Property Assessed Clean Energy financing programs allow state and local governments to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation and resiliency improvements on private property through the use of loans secured by liens on real property.  The programs, which have been have been adopted by 36 states and the District of Columbia, can be structured to be financially self-supporting, secure investment vehicles that do not require continued infusions of funds by the state or local governments.  Most of the programs currently in use are available for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at commercial properties, only, but both the states and the federal government are looking at ways to expand the programs to benefit residential properties and to cover additional types of improvements, including projects to improve structures ability to withstand extreme weather events, earthquakes, flooding and other natural disasters.

Click here to read the full article written by Anne Peters and Deborah Brancato.