Same Goal, Different Tactic: State & Private Lending for Clean Energy

[Anthony Cutler]

It's well known that funding for clean energy projects with government funds is challenging, to say the least. As finances are tight on all levels, from D.C to Main Street, policy makers and clean energy project leaders are continuously looking for new ways to help push forward clean energy projects. The Brookings Institution, a well respected Washington D.C. thinktank has recently published a paper on a new and exciting financing option for these struggling projects. It focuses on the state level, where there is a greater opportunity for innovation and development than at the gridlocked Federal level.

Most state investments focus on providing grants, tax credits and subsidies. The new report discusses a new financing solution that couples scarce state funds with private capital to develop a new type of bank for clean energy projects. This type of financial institution has been spearheaded by Connecticut, where the state has sponsored a quasi-public organization to take on clean energy lending on behalf of the state. The report lays out several avenues for policy makers, and it mentions there are a number of ways states can leverage public and private lending for clean energy programs. Please click the link below to read more about this exciting new innovation for energy efficiency.

Click here to download the full report (PDF)

You can also Click Here to check out the Brookings blog post on the report