On February 24, PA Governor Ed Rendell announced that a well-established financial management firm with a successful track record of investing in green technologies and sustainable forms of energy has been chosen to manage Pennsylvania’s new Green Energy Revolving Loan Fund. The Reinvestment Fund—known as TRF—will manage the loan program and provide financial capital to support cost-effective, energy conservation and renewable energy projects in existing, non-residential buildings. PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and TRF are finalizing the Loan Fund guidelines now, but in the meantime, TRF is soliciting names and contact information of non-residential building owners who may be interested in learning more about the Loan Fund. The new revolving loan fund is made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The federal Recovery Act will provide $12 million to the state for the Green Energy Revolving Loan Fund, but it required any firm applying to manage to provide a minimum match of $18 million in private funds. TRF committed to investing $36 million, which will allow for a $48 million pool of funds in the loan program. The new revolving loan fund will supply necessary capital for developing cost effective, energy-saving and renewable energy projects in existing, non-residential buildings throughout Pennsylvania. The projects create and retain jobs, and must cut an entire facility’s energy consumption by at least 25 percent or develop and install technologies on-site that produce electricity from renewable resources. More information, as well as a form for non-residential building owners who may be interested in learning more, is available at www.PaGreenEnergyLoanFund.com. Single-family dwellings are not eligible for financing under the new Green Energy Loan Fund. Homeowners interested in obtaining low-interest loans to help finance home-energy efficiency projects should seek assistance through the Keystone HELP program by visiting www.keystonehelp.com. FMI: See www.recovery.pa.gov.
