Energy Finance Resource Center
Energy finance is one of the fastest growing areas of development finance. Essentially, energy finance is focused on tools that improve energy efficiency, provide alternative clean energy generation or assist with large scale energy distribution. Tool such as grants, loan guarantees, revolving loan funds and tax credits are the major drivers of the energy finance sector. However, new approaches such as PACE, on-bill financing and bonds are emerging quickly. The federal government, primarily through the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Agriculture, has also taken an active and proactive role in financing energy development.
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-Resources
-Case Studies
Energy finance tools come in a variety of forms. These tools include loans, assesments, tax credits and bonds. CDFA has collected hundreds of case study examples.
CDFA – Bricker PACE Webinars: PACE 101: The Basics of PACE Financing
This is the first webinar of the CDFA-Bricker PACE Webinar Series: PACE 101: The Basics of PACE Financing. Speakers included: Colin Kalvas with Bricker & Eckler, Colin Bishopp with PACENation, Dustin Reilich with Renovate America, and Andrew Zech with Greenworks Lending.
USDA Report on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity 2019Members only 
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On April 25, 2017, the President of the United States established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity through Executive Order 13790. The purpose and function of the Task Force was to identify legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to promote agriculture, economic development, job growth, infrastructure improvements, technological innovation, energy security, and quality of life in rural America.
Iowa's Biomass Conversion Action Plan 2018Members only Login
Consumption of renewable energy in the United States is at the highest level in history, contributing to energy security and other economic and environmental benefits. The largest single source of renewable energy is biomass, representing nearly half of renewable energy consumed in 2016.
Solar Lending Practices by Community and Regional Financial Institutions Members only Login
Current projections of solar photovoltaic (PV) system costs and deployment in the United States indicate substantial capital requirements over the next 30 years and beyond. Concurrently, community and regional financial institutions (CRFIs), including community banks and credit unions, collectively hold $3.6 trillion in assets. These institutions could provide a significant portion of the required PV capital while creating a large investment opportunity for themselves. Looking ahead, access to additional credit and market information is critical for accelerating the role of CRFIs and other financial institutions in supporting U.S. PV growth.
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-Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency Bonds
Building Resiliency Through Green InfrastructureMembers only Login
Cities have recently integrated more green infrastructure strategies into their climate resiliency planning. Creating climate-resilient cities takes more than a series of infrastructure investments; more than sea walls and permeable pavement. It takes investment in people. Those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are those without living wages or access to political power—very often communities of color.
Growing the U.S. Green Bond MarketMembers only Login
The United States’ deteriorating infrastructure is woefully underprepared to address the challenge of adapting to climate change. The funding gap has presented an opportunity for global capital markets to create investment vehicles that provide long-term yield, while also helping communities mitigate or adapt to the effects of global warming. One such vehicle that has arisen in the past decade is the green bond: a traditional fixed income security with an additional layer of environmental sustainability.
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-U.S. Department of Energy
Perspectives on Energy Investment Partnerships
To close out the Energy Investment Partnerships Webinar Series, Rima Ouied from the U.S. Department of Energy will provide closing remarks and reflect on the opportunity that states have for building new partnerships to finance and deploy clean energy.
Measuring Success in the States
Sandy Fazeli from the National Association of State Energy Officials will present ways some states have financed and already seen success with energy programs on the state levels
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-Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
CDFA – Bricker PACE Webinars: PACE 101: The Basics of PACE Financing
This is the first webinar of the CDFA-Bricker PACE Webinar Series: PACE 101: The Basics of PACE Financing. Speakers included: Colin Kalvas with Bricker & Eckler, Colin Bishopp with PACENation, Dustin Reilich with Renovate America, and Andrew Zech with Greenworks Lending.
PACE Wisconsin OverviewMembers only Login
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing supports the expansion of energy efficiency, solar, water, wind power and other renewable energy installations for the benefit of commercial buildings. PACE programs capitalize reduction in energy usage by paying for property improvements through voluntary special assessments placed on property tax bills over time. Jason Stringer with PACE Wisconsin explores the latest PACE projects in Wisconsin, as well as explain the basic concepts of the tool and how it is beneficial for local governments and property owners in the state
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-Training Courses
Energy finance education is essential to ensure project success. CDFA offers two of the only comprehensive training courses available. Courses are two days in length and offered at various times in the year.
The
Intro Energy & Water Finance Course begins with an overview of the complex energy development industry and introduces attendees to the terminology and technology driving this movement. We will then examine the entire spectrum of energy financing solutions from bonds to revolving loan funds and innovative incentive programs available to businesses, home owners, development professionals, investors, and government entities
-Webcasts
CDFA // BNY Mellon Webcast Series: Bonds + Financing SustainabilityMembers only Login
Bonds are considered the bedrock tool for development finance because of their common use funding traditional projects however they also can be adaptable for new types of projects. In the current day and age sustainability has become a key focus in development finance and bonds have more frequently been used to finance this new wave of projects. During this installment of the BNY Mellon // CDFA Webcast Series Sharon Wojda from the City of Bend, Oregon, and Stephen Pearlman from Pearlman & Miranda, LLC., will look at outside the box ideas for issuing bonds to fund sustainable areas of finance including renewable energy, adaptive reuse for infrastructure and sustainable water solutions.