With no upfront costs, this innovative financing tool makes energy efficiency affordable to all

From Nate Berg / ENSIA: North Carolina’s Roanoke Electric Cooperative is helping members bring down energy costs. Because the energy costs in this area is due to a lack of energy efficiency, the cooperative offers tariffed on-billing to help homes offset expenses like insulation and new heat pumps. The tariffed on-billing uses federal loans to pay for said expenses, and then the customer pays the tariff charge in their bill – which ends up being lower because of the energy-efficient upgrades.

Click here to read the original story.

Issue Areas:

Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Environment, Poverty Reduction Measures

Impact Areas:

Environmental Sustainability, Sustainable Finance

Actors:

Businesses, Government

Communities Served:

Communities Experiencing Economic Hardship, Workers

Strategies:

Easing Economic Burdens for Individuals, Increase Education / Insights Sharing, Utilizing Sustainable or Renewable Resources

Success Factors:

Business With Social Goals, Empowering People, Expanding Access, Meeting People Where They Are At, Overcoming the Big Challenges

Geographic Region:

North America

Countries:

United States

Date:

February 26, 2019

More Resources:

Conversation with Hannah Rothschild

Hannah Rothschild is Lead of Knowledge Uptake and Communications at Bernard van Leer Foundation. Her background is a merged expertise in urban policy, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and strategic communication. Previous diverse roles, ranging from environmental start-ups to international organisations, have deepened...

Microfinance helps Indian women borrow – with dignity

From Annie Banerji / Christian Science Monitor: Microfinance institutions in India are providing low-cost loans to women in remote areas who typically only have access to loan sharks. The women are using the money to break poverty cycles and start their...

Portland group works to make wealth redistribution a reality through real estate

From Tiffany Camhi / OPB: Volunteers of the PDX Housing Solidarity Project are working to redistribute generational wealth through homeownership in Portland. The project connects people with ample resources to Black and Indigenous homebuyers and helps facilitate cash gifts, no-interest...

Conversation with Paula Daniels

Paula Daniels co-founded the Center for Good Food Purchasing, a national initiative promoting sustainable food systems, building on her work as founder of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council. With a career spanning private law and public service, she focuses...

Conversation with Alana Boone

Alana Boone is a Social Policy Officer for the city of Brugge in Belgium, Europe. She works on a local level on policies promoting preventative health, long-term care policies, and age-friendly cities. Alana Boone spoke with Ashley Hopkinson on April...

How tax credits and social finance are building a healthy future for Nova Scotians

From Diane Berard / Future of Good: Novia Scotia, Canada, created community economic development investment funds with a 35% tax credit to investors to help small businesses that need capital but don’t qualify for bank loans. The cooperative FarmWorks brings...