Municipal Financing for Renewables and Efficiency

A growing number of states are enacting laws that enable cities and counties to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to significant investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency—lack of access to long term, low interest financing. And a growing number of cities and counties are taking advantage of this new authority.

Some cities have, like Babylon, NY, launched programs by tapping into existing revenue streams. Most have made use of amendments to state laws that have allowed them to issue bonds.

State Enabling Laws

As of mid July 2009, 10 states have amended existing statutes and codes to allow their counties and cities to establish special assessment districts for energy financing. These amendments have several key features:

• Permit municipalities to create energy financing districts
• Define the permitted types of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects eligible for financing
• Create an opt-in element that allows the districts to consist of non-contigous, self-selected property owners
• Grant authority to municipalities to issue bonds to provide financing

In 2008, Vote Solar published an excellent legal memo that examined statutes in 15 states and the amendments that would be needed to establish energy financing districts.

Click here for state enabling legislation rules.

City and County Programs

As of mid July 2009, six cities and counties have established energy financing programs using local public funds. These programs vary significantly, as the table to the right reveals (click for larger version). Some finance only renewables, others only efficiency and still others finance both. Some are restricted to residences while others are open to businesses. Program elements vary (e.g. term of loan, maximum amount of loan, interest rate, etc.) But several features characterize most programs.

• Zero dollars upfront are required. The municipality or county offers 100 percent financing. This dramatically broadens the number of households that can take advantage of the program.
• The debt stays with the property. The debt is repaid through the property tax and the debt has a first lien on the property. This overcomes the reluctance of homeowners to make significant investments if they anticipate moving in 2-5 years. When they move, the debt continues to be repaid through property tax assessments.
• Borrowers are eligible for existing federal tax incentives. This is a result of a change in the federal tax code in early 2009. The federal tax code prohibits individuals or businesses who are receiving “subsidized energy financing” from making use of federal incentives. Until recently it was unclear if municipal bonds, even taxable bonds, would be considered subsidized financing. Contained in the American Recovery and Investment Act is a provision that allows home and business owners with qualifying energy projects to remain eligible for federal energy tax incentives while financing their projects with taxable municipal bonds. Congress is currently considering legislation that would extend this provision to tax exempt municipal bonds.

Find a Model

Click on a blue-shaded state or icon to get details. Shaded states have passed legislation to enable municipal financing based on property taxes.

Know of other communities using property tax financing for renewable energy and energy efficiency? Let us know.

More Information:

• Municipal Property Tax Assessment Financing: Removing key barriers to residential solar [pdf] – by Claudia Eyzaguiree and Annie Carmichael, Vote Solar Initiative, October 2008
• Vote Solar's web site on Municipal Property Tax Financing
• Track Cities Developing Municipal Property Tax Financing Programs - from 1Bog
• UC Berkeley's Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory
• Innovative Energy Efficiency Financing Approaches [pdf] - DOE Presentation, June 2009
• Financial Incentives - Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency