Chapter Documents
The Clean Energy Finance Guide for Residential and Commercial Building Improvements, Third Edition, is also available as a series of documents, chapter by chapter, that you can download.
Introduction and Executive Summary
Also includes frequently used abbreviations, acknowledgments, and a glossary of terms.
Chapter 1. Primer on Clean Energy Lending: The Major Components and Options
Introduces the five major component of a clean energy lending product: lenders, repayment, capital sources, credit enhancements, and security.
Chapter 2. Possible Bonding Options for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Financing
Focuses specifically on bonding options, including traditional tax-exempt and taxable bonds, and a suite of new bonding tools resulting from the Recovery Act.
Chapter 3. Risk Assessment
Presents a table highlighting potential risks of unsecured lending products and clean energy finance programs.
Chapter 4. Federal Tax Issues Related to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects
Reviews the tax incentives for financing programs that provide funds to individuals or organizations for the purchase of energy efficiency or renewable energy equipment, systems, or products.
Chapter 5. Basic Concepts for Clean Energy Unsecured Lending and Loan Loss Reserve Funds
Discusses a loan loss reserve fund structured to support single-family residential lending, and presents DOE's guidance on the use of Recovery Act funds, residential loan terms, and underwriting guidelines.
Chapter 6. Partners and Stakeholders: Roles and Potential Impact
Presents organizations responsible for implementing a loan program, including financing partners, advisors and other interested parties.
Chapter 7. Path to Self-Sustainability
Addresses the importance of making clean energy financing programs sustainable, for example, without Recovery Act funds.
Chapter 8. Clean Energy Lending from the Financial Institution Perspective
Poses a series of questions that potential primary or secondary financial institutions will ask grantees when considering lending products, a loan loss reserve fund, and other enhancements.
Chapter 9. Implementation Process Flow
Shows flowcharts outlining energy efficiency and renewable energy finance implementation processes for primary and secondary lenders.
Chapter 10. Resource Requirements
Breaks down financing program resources into five categories: staffing, information sharing, consultants, legislative rulings, and legal approvals.
Chapter 10. Attachments
Features examples of state and local authorizing legislation; an environmental questionnaire; and a statement of project objective and supporting documentation for an energy efficiency community challenge project.
Chapter 11. Clean Energy Finance for the Large Commercial Sector: Structures and Strategies
Review several financing structures and related uses of Recovery Act funds that are being developed to finance large, commercial-sector building projects for clean energy improvements.
Chapter 12. Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy Financing
Covers commercial property-assessed clean energy (PACE) programs, which allow local governments, when authorized by state law, to fund energy improvements on commercial and residential properties.
- Description of Program Administration Templates
- Program Handbook Template
- Initial Application Template
- Final Application Template
- Eligible Measures Template
- Lender Acknowledgement Template
- Description of Marketing Templates
- Launch Release Template
- Program Overview Template
- Commercial PACE Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter 13. Small Business Financing Options for Clean Energy Projects
Defines a small business, reviews the common legal small business structures, and presents the elements necessary for a successful small business financing program.
Chapter 14. Contracts, Agreements, and Other Resources
Provides helpful materials for grantees and their technical assistance providers to use in developing state and local financing programs.
Chapter 14. Attachments
Features templates of a request for proposals for residential energy efficiency loan facilities, and energy efficiency loan program agreements; and examples of an RFP, loan loss reserve fund agreement, and residential program term sheet.
Chapter 15. Summary of Additional Resources on Financing
Provides 22 additional resources for those interested in more information on clean energy lending programs.