Boulder County’s ClimateSmart Loan Program: Funding Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy on a Countywide Scale

摘要

In 2009 Boulder County launched the nationally groundbreaking ClimateSmart? LoanProgram, funding hundreds of residential renewable energy and energy efficiency projectsthroughout Boulder County. The ClimateSmart Loan Program provides a voluntary mechanismfor property owners to obtain financing for renewable energy and/or energy efficiencyimprovements to properties in Boulder County. In the first 6 months of operation, theClimateSmart Loan Program funded 612 energy efficiency and renewable energy projectsthroughout Boulder County totaling nearly $10 million. This program is the first countywidefinancing mechanism for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the United States withmulti-jurisdictional support from all Boulder County municipalities and the first program tocomprehensively address renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. The ClimateSmartLoan Program not only offers affordable financing for county residents and business ownerswishing to implement energy improvements to their properties, but it will also help reduceBoulder County’s overall greenhouse gas emissions – a major goal of Boulder County’sSustainable Energy Plan and long-term goal of carbon neutrality. Ultimately, encouraging energyefficiency improvements and renewable energy systems will generate green-collar jobs andstimulate the local economy, putting Boulder County’s ClimateSmart Loan Program at theforefront of Colorado’s new energy economy.