Funding to improve financing of clean energy, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
What does this funding get me?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide $27 billion to states, local governments, and large nonprofits, who will use the funds to improve the financing of clean energy for households, businesses, and nonprofits, especially in low- to moderate-income communities.
Sign up below to receive updates on how and when you can apply for these funds.
Am I eligible?
The money will go first to large entities (states, nonprofits, etc.). Then individuals, nonprofits and businesses will be able to apply to those entities for support of their clean energy projects.
The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund is actually 3 different funds, each of which will support different groups:
Solar for All ($7 billion)
Purpose:
To expand access to solar energy for households in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Who applied?
The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority. See contact info below.
Purpose:
Grants to 2–3 national nonprofit clean financing institutions that will partner with the private sector to provide accessible, affordable financing for clean technology projects across the country. Funds will finance household, small business, nonprofit, tribal entity, and development projects with at least 40% going to low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Purpose:
Grants to 2–7 hub nonprofits that will, in turn, deliver funding and technical assistance to build the clean energy financing capacity of local community lenders. 100% of funds will go to financing projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Community lenders that will receive support include public, quasi-public, not-for-profit, and nonprofit community lenders such as community development financial institutions (CDFIs), credit unions, green banks, housing finance agencies, and minority depository institutions.
How can I access the money?
When the grants are awarded and recipients announce their program design, we will update this page with information on how to access the funds.
What is the timeline?
Applications were submitted to EPA in October 2023. The grant awards will be announced in Spring 2024, and the grant money will be received by September 2024, after which recipients will begin distributing funds to specific clean energy projects.
Where can I get more information?
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (EPA)
- Solar for All
- National Clean Investment Fund
- Clean Communities Investment Accelerator
- For specific questions on this program or for more assistance, contact Matt Salton at cleanenergy@conservationpa.org.
The Green Energy Loan Fund (GELF)
By leveraging US Department of Energy funds and through a collaborative contract, the DEP has been able to support low-interest loan financing for energy efficiency retrofits and the installation of energy conservation measures and high-performance energy systems in buildings throughout Pennsylvania. This financial tool, the Green Energy Loan Fund (GELF), is managed on behalf of the Commonwealth by the Reinvestment Fund (RF). As a revolving loan fund, the program has lent over $17 million to projects across Pennsylvania.
For a quick view of the projects, take a look at the GELF map.
To read more about the projects funded to date, take a look at the story map
There are four distinct categories of eligible energy conservation and efficiency improvements:
- Projects involving one or two energy retrofit measures or the replacement of single systems or equipment in an existing, occupied building.
- Projects involving multiple energy retrofit measures in an existing, occupied building.
- Projects involving the gut rehab of an existing building.
- Projects involving new construction of a building or an addition to a building.
All projects must result in a 25% reduction in energy consumption. The baseline for the energy savings calculation varies depending on the type of project, but the analysis required is described in the application materials.
GELF can also finance on-site renewable energy systems and on-site combined-heat-and-power systems only when they are part of a larger building energy efficiency project.
GELF is unable to finance energy improvements to single-family homes.
For more information, or to submit an application head over to the GELF website.