Two great low or no-interest financing options are now available to help Vermonters make energy improvements in their homes: PACE financing and the Heat Saver Loan.
A public informational forum on these energy financing options will be held on Tuesday, June 16 at 5:30 pm at the Marlboro College Graduate School, 28 Vernon Street in downtown Brattleboro. Pizza and beverages will be provided. Space is limited – to register, contact Paul Cameron at 251-8135 or pcameron@brattleboro.org.
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing is available to residents of Vermont towns that have officially approved a PACE program, including Brattleboro, Putney, Marlboro, and Manchester. Improvements that can be financed through these low rates include energy audits, weatherization measures, cold climate heat pumps, high efficiency oil, propane and wood pellet central heating systems, heat pump water heaters, and solar hot water heaters. Vermonters earning up to 80% of the state’s Average Median Income (AMI) can get 0% financing; 80-100% AMI can get 0.99% financing; and 100-120% AMI can get 1.99%. Renewable electric generation systems can also be financed through PACE at the standard program rate which is currently 6%. Other advantages of PACE financing include low closing costs, no down payment required and ability to pay the loan off in advance with no penalty. Specific income levels and information on the PACE process are available at www.efficiencyvermont.com/PACE.
In addition to PACE financing, Vermonters looking to improve the thermal efficiency of their home can finance eligible improvement projects through the Heat Saver Loan Program. Heat Saver Loans are available statewide, and cover many similar projects, including weatherization, cold-climate heat pumps, solar hot water systems, biomass heating systems, and other clean heating technologies. Interested homeowners must work with an approved installer or certified contractor. Heat saver loans are available through Opportunities Credit Union and the Vermont State Employees Credit Union with interest rates ranging from 0% to 4.99%. Specific income levels and qualifying contractors can be found by visiting at www.efficiencyvermont.com/HeatSaver.
Financing efficiency and renewable energy measures through PACE or the Heat Saver Loan program often result in homeowners saving more on energy costs than they are paying for the improvements, so they save energy and money from the beginning. Efficiency Vermont, the state’s energy efficiency utility, can review project plans to help determine how cost effective the project is, and will assist homeowners through the PACE and Heat Saver Loan processes.
The June 16 forum is sponsored by Brattleboro Climate Protection, Brattleboro Energy Committee, Sustainable Energy Outreach Network, Home Energy Advocates, and Efficiency Vermont. More information on Heat Saver Loans is available at www.efficiencyvermont.com/HeatSaver . More information on PACE financing is available at www.efficiencyvermont.com/PACE; contact Efficiency Vermont at info@efficiencyvermont.com or 888-921-5990 with questions.
