San Francisco will soon move forward with a creative financing program known as Property Assessed Clean Energy

In support of Renewable Funding's WHEEL program

FHFA’s official stance on property-assessed clean energy programs hasn’t changed. But reports indicate that the agency’s practices have shifted.

Experienced Financial Services Executive Joins Executive Team as Company Continues its Expansion Across the United States

“State and local government sponsored PACE programs are driving economic activity, creating local jobs, and helping achieve carbon reduction."

Oakland-based Company Named to 2014 Global Cleantech 100 List

It has been 7 years since Cisco DeVries came up with what Scientific American would later call one of the top 20 “world-changing” ideas of the year

Bills Signed by Governor Expand Energy and Water Efficiency Programs for Homeowners; Reduce Hurdles Faced by Businesses in Going Green

New PACE program approved by San Diego city officials

Innovative Finance Model Receives Excellence Award from National Association

CaliforniaFIRST program approved in multiple Marin County jurisdictions

Press coverage from the launch of our residential PACE financing program, CaliforniaFIRST.

Start-up Renewable Funding is positioned for a revival in home solar and energy efficiency projects backed by property tax assessments.

Hawaii Taking New Financing Approach to Provide Solar for Thousands of Properties in Hawaii, Set National Model for Clean Energy Deployment

Recently launched Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans program seeks to link institutional investors and state and local energy efficiency programs.

Jeff St. John of greentechmedia.com reports on big money for long-awaited market in property-tax-backed home solar and efficiency

The company raises $20 million in fresh funding amid a revitalization of its business.

Strong Investment Syndicate Includes: Prelude Ventures, Angeleno Group, Apollo Investment Corporation, Claremont Creek Ventures and NGEN Partners

A $100 million fund gives homeowners low-cost loans for energy efficiency upgrades to one of the biggest sources of global warming – their houses.

New National Public-Private Partnership to Transform the Home Energy Loan Market - Warehouse Facility to Facilitate $100 Million Medium Term Note Prog

Renewable Funding will run program providing low-cost, 20-year financing in 17 Counties and 167 Cities this summer.

By Kat Friedrich, Clean Energy Finance Center

By Cisco DeVries, Renewable Funding

The Institute for Market Transformation released a report examining the relationship between residential energy efficiency and mortgage default risk.

Johnson Controls Institute for Building Efficiency, PACENow, and the Urban Land Institute release "Setting the PACE: Commercial Retrofit Financing"

Renewable Funding's Cisco DeVries and Kelley McKanna detail the current state and future trends of home energy efficiency and renewable energy finance

Commercial property owners can obtain loans for projects that reduce water and energy use.

Fourteen counties and 126 cities in California have launched CaliforniaFIRST.

California is launching the nation's largest PACE program

A program to help commercial property owners finance energy efficiency upgrades that was abruptly scrapped in 2010 has been resurrected.

The counties of Sacramento and Yolo and their nine cities are participating in the nation’s largest Property Assessed Clean Energy Program.

In an effort to help owners of commercial property reduce energy and water use, San Luis Obispo County has joined other California cities and counties

14 California counties and 126 cities Sept. 20 launched the first state-wide and the nation’s largest PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program.

Popular solar program goes statewide in CA.

Commercial property owners in 240 California cities and counties will now be able to invest in energy and water saving upgrades with no upfront costs.

Under a statewide program, commercial landlords in 126 cities and 14 counties, including Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano, are eligible for

14 Counties and 126 California Cities to Provide Innovative Financing for Commercial Building Clean Energy and Water Upgrades

A new tool that could help states expand their energy efficiency loan programs is one step closer to becoming a reality.

A Handful of States are Reimagining Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing

The Florida Green Finance Authority has launched the Commercial Clean Energy Financing Alliance.

C40 has joined leaders and experts in Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing to share and standardize the use of this innovative mechanism with C40 Cities around the world.

Article by Ben McCanna about how low interest PACE loans are helping Maine homeowners improve heating efficiency.

Solar energy is about to get a major boost in Florida as the state welcomes the first commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.

The Town of Lantana recently approved the first-ever commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in the state of Florida.

Clean Fund, a leading provider of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) finance, has completed the City of Edina's first PACE financing through the Edina Emerald Energy Program.

Nearly 70 people joined Senator Al Franken andCERTs at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington ...

Investors and other stakeholders should urgently lobby US federal regulators to allow municipal bond programs for residential renewable energy and efficiency retrofits to move ahead.

A new study shows Sonoma County has one of the highest concentrations of solar energy users in the state.

Article by Justin Gerdes suggesting that rumors of the death of PACE financing have been greatly exaggerated

By Alisa Valderrama ...

By Glenda Anderson The high heating bills that come with winter's chill have sent some homeowners hunting for energy efficiency. Read more here: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120101/ARTICLES/120109985

By: Tracey Taylor Despite growing in size, Berkeley is using less energy, according to new data released by the city's Energy and Sustainable Development department. http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/12/16/more-homes-in-berkeley-but-energy-use-is-down-10/

By Scott Henderson: ...

By Bianca Torres ...

By Andrew S. Ross ...

By Lindsay Riddell ...

Renewable Funding releases Request for Proposals for lenders interested in participating in Energy Upgrade California in Los Angeles County, an LA County residential clean energy loan program.

Renewable Funding releases Request for Proposals for lenders interested in participating in Energy Upgrade California in Los Angeles County, an LA County residential clean energy loan program.

Renewable Funding was selected to provide technology and finance administration services for Energy Upgrade California (EUC), a bold new statewide program sponsored by the California Energy Commission (Energy Commission) and the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC). EUC is an ...

By Jeff Lee As Vancouver works out a plan to begin financing home energy retrofit loans through its property taxes next year, the U.S. program on which it was modelled has come to a screeching halt after federal housing regulators raised concerns about the financial risk.

By Jason Philyaw The Natural Resources Defense Council has sued the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency claiming the agencies illegally halted the Property Assessed Clean Energy program, known as PACE.

By K Kaufmann ...

By Cisco Devries ...

By Mike Stark ...

By U.S. Green Building Council ...

By Russel Nichols ...

By Pete Atkin and Corey Glick

By Jonathan Hiskes ...

By Colin Rigley With just two short letters—about half a page each—mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac began a process that would quickly undo years of work across 23 states seeking to stimulate new green jobs and energy-efficient homes.

By Tiffany Hsu ...

By Eric Staats ...

By Crosscurrents Producer ...

By Bill Roth

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BY Jonathan Hiskes

MICHAEL KANELLOS: JULY20, 2010<p style="margin-right: 6.65pt; li

MARK BOSLET: JULY 16, 2010<span style

BY Jonathan Hiskes

By NICK TIMIRAOS

By <a href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/articles/david+s

By TODD WOODY  

By Todd Woody ...

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By Saulius Mikalonis &quot;It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.&quot; - Aesop's Fables, &quot;The Ant and the Grasshopper&quot;

By Ken Bradley

By Kevin Robinson-Avila ...

By Lindsay Riddell Renewable Funding is expanding. After its recent San Francisco launch, Oakland-based Renewable Funding said this week it will support programs in Santa Fe County, N.M., Santa Barbara County, Calif., and throughout the state of Louisiana.

Renewable Funding to Support Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Programs in Santa Fe County, NM, Santa Barbara County, CA, and State of Louisiana

By Sonja Carberry 

By Sarah Wire ...

By Jondi Gumz SANTA CRUZ - Local contractors coping with the recession hope a new initiative to finance residential energy improvements will give their business a much-needed boost.

 By Michael BalchunasSan Francisco has begun accepting applications for an ambitious program that offers no-money-down financing for solar photovoltaic systems and other energy projects.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The City and County of San Francisco today officially launched GreenFinanceSF, the nation's largest Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. Oakland-based Renewable Funding, the nation's leading provider of PACE services, will administer the program and ...

By David R. Baker ...

By Michael KanellosIf everything works as planned, Mike Odynski will save $995 in utility bills each year AND get a free furnace and insulation.

By James Cartledge The nation's largest property-based clean energy incentives program officially began today in the City and County of San Francisco, California.

&nbsp;By Andrew S. Ross&nbsp;Thursday, April 8, 2010&nbsp;

By Jeffrey MikulinaThirty-five days. That — according to the 2009 Hawaiian Electric Industries Annual Report — is the length of time before Hawaii's electricity shuts off should something disrupt the flow of oil to our islands. It's the length of time between comfort and chaos.If Hawaii hopes ...

By Ethan Fletcher

(SACRAMENTO)— Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) joined several executives from California´s solar, clean vehicle, and green technology industries to highlight new laws that will create 20,000 jobs for Californians. They also discussed pending job creation bills that will ...

Dylan Brooks Florida's Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink asked the state legislature to pass a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bill. The bill would allow state residents to use government bonds to help pay for clean energy measures in homes across Florida.



By Steven Cohen, Executive Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University ...

By Mimi Frusha ...

By Julie Schmit ...

&quot;It opens the door to solving one of the great conundrums, which is that people could be saving money every day on their utility bills, but they're not,&quot; -Renewable Funding President Cisco Devries on PACE ...

&quot;This green financing program is going to create green jobs and fuel the next wave of energy and water efficiency and renewable energy development in San Francisco&quot; - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Read this USA Today story on GreenFinanceSF here.

By Gerry Shih ...

Tens of Thousands of San Francisco Property Owners Will Be Able to Finance Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Water Conservation Projects via a Voluntary Special Property Tax

By David Riley ...

The attached article, &quot;How Cool: Changes to Municipal Finance Law Address Global Warming, Create Jobs and Promote Energy Independence&quot; was written by Cisco DeVries of Renewable Funding and Christopher Lynch of Jones Hall PLC. ...

By Nancy Needham ...

Oakland, Calif. - Renewable Funding has purchased Portland-based ProjectDX, a company that provides technical support and automated processes for governments seeking to increase participation in local sustainability programs.  Renewable Funding - the nation's leading financier of property assessed ...

The San Francisco Business Times recently published a great article on Renewable Funding and PACE financing available here.

By Eric Wesoff Josh Becker is a greentech venture capital investor at New Cycle Capital and he's running for the California state Assembly on a very greentech platform.  If he wins, he's going to have to take a substantial pay cut.

By Suzanne Hodgson

The Economist recently published coverage of the BerkeleyFIRST program.  Read the article here.

By Cisco DeVries ...

Gov. Linda Lingle announced in her State of the State Address a proposal to empower property owners across the state to help create a green jobs sector through the establishment of a new program called Hawaii Clean Energy Investment Bonds.

By Cathy Cockrell More than 200 turned out Thursday for &quot;Innovating the Green Economy,&quot; a campus conference on how to turn an emerging and much celebrated &quot;win-win&quot; into actual businesses and real paychecks for local communities.

By Jack Edmonston ...

Santa Barbara County wants to develop a new kind of special district that would allow property owners to finance insulation, solar and other energy efficiency projects that would be paid for on their property tax bills. In December, the Board of Supervisors paved the way for the creation of a ...

The Harvard Business Review published the top 10 breakthrough ideas of 2010 in their January-February 2010 issue. Along with ideas to increase workplace productivity, prevent financial bubbles, and reduce the cost of healthcare, PACE is put forth as a ground breaking idea that could slash GHG's ...

By Michelle Ventress ...

Florida is called The Sunshine State, but unlike California, we haven't fully taken advantage of the sun's power -- aside from, say, tanning along Ocean Drive. ...

Acting Tuesday, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors took additional steps toward offering Yolo County residents a property-assessed, clean energy program. ...

Gov. Bill Richardson signed an executive order Tuesday that strengthens state efforts to promote a green economy in New Mexico. ...

By Tyler Hamilton ...

By Mike Rosenberg ...

By the Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) -- Rooftop solar panels usually sound great until you see the price tag. Even with generous tax breaks, a home-installed system can cost as much as an SUV depending where you live. But what if you could put solar on your roof virtually for free?

Eric Wesoff ...

Nature recently published the reflections of leading experts on where their fields would be in 20 years. Daniel Kammen had the followign to say about energy:

By Alan Boyle ...

Companies providing energy efficiency consulting services to U.S. commercial building owners are expected to make about $5.6 billion a year. About 75 percent of the revenues come from implementing a suit of energy efficiency measures, according to "The U.S. Energy Service Company Market" study ...

By Gareth Dodd ...

Long Beach. The Long Beach Sierra Club will hold an introduction to PACE, a program where the government pays to make you energy efficient, on Jan. 6. ...

Construction was down, but green building wasn't entirely out. Developers reported that green buildings garnered higher rents than conventional ones. The State of California and the Federal Government also committed billions to retrofits. Here are some of the big stories and events from the ...

By Ucilia Wang ...

By Dana Hull ...

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By Kurtis Alexander ...

Millions of Americans will have access to city-sponsored financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in 2010; "Cash for Caulkers" would offer additional incentives to eligible households

On Monday, the City and County of San Francisco announced that it would be launching a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, called San Francisco Sustainable Financing, or SF Squared, in early 2010. Oakland-based Renewable Funding, the nation's leading financier of PACE programs, will ...

By Byron DeLear ...

By Carolyn Jones ...

Innovative Residential &amp; Business Loan Program Aims to Finance City's Next Wave of Renewable Energy, Energy/Water Efficiency &amp; Green Jobs

<p> LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Los Angeles County government officials announced this month that R

By Heather Knight ...

This initiative, the Annapolis EZ|Energy Zone Program, builds on legislation passed by Annapolis in January 2009 enabling its property owners to attach energy improvement loans to their properties. Annapolis is the first City in Maryland to pass such legislation.

By Mike Taugher Last month, the city of Berkeley wrapped up a one-year experiment in which 13 residents were able to install solar panels with little out-of-pocket expense. The effort was part of a city plan to combat global warming.

The attached memo from the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board proposes a HOME STAR program (aka &quot;Cash for Caulkers&quot;), which aims to create 1 million jobs, retrofit 100 million homes and reduce U.S. GHG emissions by 5% by 2030. 

By TODD WOODY<div class="w75

By Leslie Griffy ...

<p> SANTA ROSA, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/23/09 -- Despite rising unemployment in California and natio

By Jeff Quackenbush ...

Legislation will allow for municipalities to dramatically accelerate the energy retrofitting of New York State's buildings and homes

By David Leonhart At a meeting of President Obama's board of outside economic advisers two weeks ago, the venture capitalist John Doerr said the following:

By David Leonhardt ...

by Andrew Travers Local voters overwhelmingly approved a county program Tuesday that will allow residents to secure government loans for energy improvements to their homes. The referendum garnered 73 percent of the Pitkin County-wide vote, with 2,624 voting for it and 969 voting against.



OAKLAND, Calif.--(Business Wire)--

By Bob Cuddy ...

A U.S. News and World Report article by Rob Silverblatt highlighted PACE as a means of financing energy efficiency retrofits and quoted Renewable Funding's President, Cisco Devries.  The article is available at this link. ...

A new pilot program has emerged from the recently announced &quot;Recovery through Retrofit&quot; plan, and it tackles the tough issue of financing green renovation projects -- in your house! Host Jeff Young speaks with Renewable Funding president Cisco DeVries to learn how efficiently ...

By Marty Toohey ...

By Carolyn Jones ...

Renewable Funding Envisioned the Model and is National Leader in Financing PACE Programs

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) ...

THE WHITE HOUSEOffice of the Vice President For Immediate ReleaseOctober 19, 2009 Vice President Biden Unveils Report Focused on Expanding Green Jobs And Energy Savings For Middle Class Families 

Vice President Biden released the 'Recovery Through Retrofit' Report today along with a 'Policy Framework for PACE Financing Programs', which are both available below. ...

By Mary Tuma ...

By Melanie Hicken ...

By Gus Thomson ...

 By John Downey ...

By Daniel DiClerico You're an entrepreneur with a background in finance, technology, and medical research. What turned you on to energy efficiency?

By Kurtis Alexander ...

By Aaron Burgin ...

By Janine Kubert ...

By Joshua Sabatini ...

By Joe Naiman ...

The residual tightness in the credit markets has made it difficult for developers to secure adequate capital to invest in clean-energy projects. And some investments carry slightly more fiduciary risk than traditional capital markets are willing to bear, particularly in these conservative economic ...

By Debra Kahn ...

By Janet Urquhart ...

By Michael Kanellos ...

By Jim Downing ...

President Clinton today announced his commitment to a national PACE finance program as part of the Clinton Global Initiative.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after the Clinton Global Initiative announced the launch of a national campaign to duplicate California's Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing approach in 50 cities across the county:

By Joshua Sabatini ...

While economically distressed local governments are mostly enmeshed in the grim task of cutting budgets these days, at least one innovative idea is under serious consideration locally. Next week both the Sacramento City Council and the county Board of Supervisors are expected to give conceptual ...

By Scott Condon ...

By David Scott ...

By Melanie Turner

By Amy Westervelt Retrofitting existing buildings to make them more energy efficient is by far the most effective way to dramatically reduce the CO2 emissions associated with the built environment.

CRESTED BUTTE - Voters in three mountain counties in November will be asked to approve an innovative program designed to encourage property owners to undertake energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements.

By David Jacobs ...

By Barbara KesslerConsidering how the desert challenges our green aspirations, it's surprising there's not already a reality show: Extreme Green — Finding eco-friendly solutions in hostile places.

By Noah Buhayar BABYLON, N.Y. -- Town employees have fanned out across this Long Island suburb this summer, armed with free water bottles and beer cozies and a simple pitch: going green can save green, especially with low-interest financing from the town.

By Tony Burchyns ...

By Matt Zalaznick and Scott Miller ...

By Stockton Williams ...

By Lindsey Taggart ...

By Ucilia Wang ...

By Curtis Wackerle ...

By Johanna Miller ...

By Marla Dickerson If you're searching for a bright spot in a dismal economic climate, look no farther than your roof. The downturn is helping to make solar panels more affordable.

By Chadwick Matlin ...

By Kate Galbraith ...

By Justin Moresco ...

By Steve Ramirez ...

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By Associated Press ...

By Shari Shapiro and Chris Cheatham ...

By Amy Westervelt ...

Source: County of Santa Barbara

By Matt Jenkins Francisco DeVries was familiar with all the grand plans and high-flown talk about solarizing the world's power mix to fight global warming. Then he found himself staring at a problem that seems, somehow, to have repeatedly escaped the climate evangelists' attention.

By Curtis Cartier

By Zaher Karp ...

By Kurtis Alexander ...

by Todd Woody  ...

by Sara Stroud  ...

The Real 'Green' Innovation: Alternative energy depends more on financial tricks than simple engineering. by Daniel Gross 

Palm Desert AB 811 Conference ...

by Cisco DeVries, Renewable Funding, LLC ...

The city of San Francisco is copying Berkeley's first-of-its-kind program to finance solar rooftop projects via property taxes — but it wants to go a lot bigger than the pioneer city across the Bay.

Proposal to change Nevada's energy portfolio should attract Legislature's interestBig solar projects in Nevada are having an unfortunate side effect, that of limiting the incentive for creating thousands of smaller solar projects.

Innovating finance and marketing as if it is By Mark Braly Can I interest anyone in a $280 billion stimulus package for renewable energy and efficiency that won't increase the federal deficit?

By LESLIE KAUFMAN

When: Friday, April 24th Where: Berkeley, California Registration: http://rael.berkeley.edu/financing/seminar

by Dan Hahn

By Michael Perrault ...

By Mihir Zaveri ...

Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer ...

By Staci Matlock ...

David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer ...

By DANIEL BARLOW Vermont Press Bureau ...

By Thomas Content of the Journal Sentinel ...

by David J. Petersen, Tonkon Torp, LLP Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski introduced a trio of bills to the 2009 state legislature that, if passed, would give solar energy in the state a significant boost.

By Brian McNeill RICHMOND - A bill that would allow Charlottesville to establish a fund to help city homeowners purchase clean energy technology for their homes was approved by a Senate committee on Tuesday - and was expanded to include Albemarle County and every other locality in Virginia.

Readers' Forum Green Should Start Locally

Every energy expert says there is no single "silver bullet" for solving the global energy crisis. But that doesn't mean there aren't a bunch of silver bullets, each one of which might solve a part of this crisis, and do so in a way that makes investors a lot of money. EnergyTechStocks.com has ...

Solar Industry May Be Bright Spot For Professionals In Current Recession ...

Tucson Officials Eye Berkeley Solar Power Funding Plan

House considers wind and solar power plan ...

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ―San Francisco's mayor on Monday called on the private banking sector to fund a low-interest loan program intended to boost residential and commercial solar energy purchases and energy efficiency improvements. ...

By Dave Downey

Stephen Compagni Portis, founder and chairman of Renewable Funding, along with Dan Kammen and Merrian Fuller at UC Berkeley RAEL recently published an article in Environment, a well known magazine on science and policy for sustainable development. The article focuses on municipal financing for ...

By Libby Tucker

By Barbara Henry ENCINITAS ---- Shifting to solar power can be a costlyproposition, but the city of Encinitas is considering a way to make thosestart-up costs less onerous.


Posted in Solar Information by Dan. 

By Diana M. Alba Sun-News reporter ...

By GLOBE-Net ...

By Amy Brooks ...

Going solar seems to get easier by theday — both logistically and financially.  Before, homeowners had to saveup to pay the huge upfront cost of buying and installing solar panels. Now,would-be solar energyusers don't need to put up startup funds — nor do they even have to deal withan extra ...

By Mike Lee

By Beth Young

 By Laura Snider

By Kristin Bender ...

By Sheila McNulty in Houston, Financial Times function floatContent(){var paraNum = "3"

By MARTA BELCHER ...

By Virginia Prescott on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. ...

Cisco DeVries, who came up with the innovative financing plan, is trying to convince cities nationwide to join the solar revolution. By Robert Gammon

Renewable Funding is first in nation to provide a financial product allowing repayment of solar and energy efficiency project costs on owner's property tax bill; provides City of Berkeley with financing and administration for solar program ...

Posted by David Roberts on grist----------The following is a guest post from Cisco Devries, former Chief of Staff to Mayor Tom Bates of Berkeley, Calif.   

If you are a property owner in Berkeley and interested in the FIRST program, on-line applications will open November 5th at 9 AM. You can find more information on the program and application process at: City of Berkeley FIRST Program Information BerkeleyFIRST Program Application

By Ucilia Wan, GreenTechMedia The city of Berkeley has chosen Renewable Funding to finance a $1.5 million pilot program that will allow residents and businesses to pay for solar power systems through property taxes.

Berkeley eyes carbon tax, higher ratesby Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer Berkeley is considering a carbon tax and parking rate increases to pay for its ambitious plan to reduce the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

By Elana Schorr, Washington

By Felicity BarringerThe Berkeley City Council late Tuesday unanimously approved a program to give city-backed loans to property owners who install rooftop solar-power systems. The loans, likely to total up to $22,000 apiece, would be paid off over 20 years as part of the owners' property-tax ...

By Todd Woody, Green Wombat, Fortune Magazine ...

By Carolyn JonesBerkeley is expected to make a major leap forward Tuesday in its first-in-the-nation plan to allow homeowners to pay for solar energy systems through their property taxes.

AB 1709 by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock enables all California cities and counties to easily implement a solar and energy efficiency financing district. AB 1709 passed the legislature with bipartisan support on August 18th and was transmitted to the Governor on August 21st. He has until September ...

"DeVries' phone has lately been ringing off the hook as dozens of municipalities look to follow Berkeley's lead. In Santa Fe, installation costs would show up on monthly utility bills, and Milwaukee, whose private utility already buys customers' excess solar electricity at above-market rates, is ...

But credit issues must be resolved before this market can take off, executives say…. One being watched is a city-run program developed by Berkeley, Calif.

&quot;[T]he property-tax financing structure could offer a national model for how local governments can help fight global warming and save residents money.

In one stroke, the plan would remove the biggest barrier to installing solar - coming up with the upfront cash. It would cut participants' ...

Berkeley is set to become the first city in the nation to help thousands of its residents generate solar power without having to put money up front - attempting to surmount one of the biggest hurdles for people who don't have enough cash to go ...