Funding sources for projectsFunding assistance is available for many clean energy projects. Use the links under the four categories at the top of this page to get to funding information for your specific project lower on this page. Some funding sources close applications for periods of time, but often offer notification systems with registration.
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Solar
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Wind
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Other renewables
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Conservation, efficiency and
 Building upgrades
Residential
Non-residential, including nonprofit & agricultural
Both
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- Pennsylvania programs
- PA Sunshine Program
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Applications Support Help Desk, 717-705-3768 or RA-eppasunshine@pa.gov
residential and small business projects - Program offers grants and loans for new-build and renovation projects of primary residences and businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees. Sustainability guidelines must be met. Can apply for loan or grant, but not both.
The PA Sunshine Program has $7.25 million available as of January 26, 2013 for rebates to help fund solar electric (solar photovoltaic, or PV) and solar hot water (solar thermal) projects for homeowners and small businesses in Pennsylvania. Current residential rebate levels are $0.75/watt with a maximum rebate of $7,500. Small business rebate levels are $0.75/watt for a 3-10 KW system and $0.50/watt for a 10-100 KW system with a maximum rebate of $52,500. Rebate applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis until depleted or by December 31, 2013, whichever occurs first. A weekly status of available funding for rebates will be available on the PA Sunshine website.
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High Performance Building program
residential and small business projects - Program offers grants and loans for new-build and renovation projects of primary residences and businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees. Sustainability guidelines must be met. Can apply for loan or grant, but not both.
Loans up to $2 million available for small-business and $100,000 for residential projects. Grants up to $500,000 or 10 percent of total eligible costs also available.
Funds can be used for most aspects of green building construction and renovation including: land acquisition, buildings, rights-of-way, easements, land clearing, planning, designing, modeling or consulting services, registration and certification with the U.S. Green Building Council or construction and renovation.
Projects ranked on criteria to include level of matching funds (minimum of a one-to-one match requirement), number and quality of jobs to be created (small business applicants only), financial need and project readiness.
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Keystone HELP Residential Energy Efficiency and Home Energy Loan Programs
610-433-7486 or 888-AFC-FIRST (232-3477)
residential projects - Program provides below-market-rate financing. Also, CAPP (Conservation Audit and Performance Protocol), provides 2.99 percent unsecured loans up to $15,000 for most types of energy efficiency improvements made in conjunction with blow-door directed air sealing (replaces Unsecured Whole House Loan Program).
The Geothermal Heat Pump System Loan Program offers two loan options: 1) unsecured to $15,000 at 4.99 percent plus an optional "Tax Credit Anticipation Loan" for up to 30 percent of the project cost (maximum $10,000) where Keystone HELP makes the first 12 monthly payments and 2) secured whole-house geothermal loan up to $35,000 and rates 1 percent less than the standard Keystone HELP secured loan rate.
- EnergyWorks loans
residential and business projects - Available in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Chester counties.
- HUD Title I Loans
residential and small business projects - This program provides a guarantee for loans to finance light or moderate rehabilitation of properties and construction of nonresidential buildings on the properties. The program may be used to insure loans for up to 20 years on single family or multifamily properties. Maximum loan amount is $25,000 to improve a single family home or to improve or build a nonresidential structure; multifamily properties are eligible for insurance up to $60,000.
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Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs)
residential projects - These mortgages can be used in new or existing homes to finance energy efficiency measures, including renewable energy technologies. The federal government supports the loans by insuring them through Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or Veterans Affairs (VA) programs. The program allows borrowers who might otherwise be denied loans to pursue energy efficient improvements, and secures lenders against loan default, by allowing lenders to approve customers who they might have otherwise denied.
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Sustainable Energy Funds (SEF)
commercial, industrial, nonprofit, school, local and state government projects
- In 1998, as a result of the restructuring plans of five electric companies, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) created four funds to promote development of renewable energy companies and projects and energy conservation. Funds have provided $20 million+ in loans and $1.8 million in grants to 100+ projects.
Funds are associated with service territories. Use your territory's link to find more information.
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Pennsylvania Home Energy
residential projects - Financial incentives from $200-$1,000 available within the 23-county West Penn Power service region for ENERGY STAR whole-house-approach system on new construction or existing structure upgrades. Program is expected to expand to other areas of the state.
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The Reinvestment Fund (TRF) Building Energy Loans
commercial, nonprofit, government, multifamily residential, industrial projects - Interest rates as low as 3.5 percent with funding levels ranging from $100,000 to $2,500,000 (or higher) for 1) single or limited energy retrofits or the replacement of a single piece of equipment or system, 2) extensive whole-building energy retrofits, 3) energy-efficient gut rehab of an existing building and 4) energy-efficient new construction that reduce energy usage by 25 percent.
- PGW EnergySense Residential Heating Equipment Rebates
residential and some small business projects - Program helps Philadelphia gas customers save up to 80 percent of the difference in the cost of purchasing high-efficiency instead of less-efficient space- and water-heating equipment, programmable thermostats and other equipment.
- PGW Enhanced Low-Income Retrofit Program
residential projects - Program is targeted to high-usage, gas-heating, customers who are enrolled in PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP) and is designed to provide cost-effective weatherization treatments to reduce the average household energy usage by 20 percent, lower gas bills and improve payment practices. CRP participants are contacted when their account is selected to receive energy-saving services.
- Philadelphia Home Improvement Loan Program
residential projects - Program offers low-interest loans up to $25,000 for owner-occupied residences in the city of Philadelphia for home improvements that include energy-efficiency upgrades.
- Philadelphia Housing Development Corp. Weatherization Assistance Program
residential projects - Program provides free energy audits and weatherization and energy efficiency improvements to owner-occupied houses and tenant-occupied rental units in the city of Philadelphia. Income guidelines apply. Applications made by phone at 215-448-2160.
- Federal programs
- FHA PowerSaver Pilot Program
residential projects - Eighteen lenders will participate in this two-year program that will offer qualified homeowners living in certain parts of the country low-cost Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed loans of up to $25,000 to make energy-saving improvements. Insulation, duct sealing, replacement doors and windows, HVAC systems, water heaters, solar panels and geothermal systems are included.
- Federal Residential Tax Credit
residential projects - A 30-percent tax credit is available for purchase and installation of solar electric and solar water heating systems. Consumers can qualify for two credits – one for a photovoltaic system and another for a solar water heating system.
- Federal Renewable Energy Incentives
residential, business and agricultural projects - Various incentives, tax deductions, loans and grants are available for clean energy technologies.
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Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP)
residential and commercial projects - This project is sponsored by a group of public interest nonprofit groups, government agencies and other organizations in the energy efficiency field. It gives consumers and businesses information about using federal income tax incentives for energy efficient products and technologies passed by Congress as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and its amendments.
- Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)
non-federal government or non-government organizations or individuals - This is a voluntary program to stimulate development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Projects must not exceed three years. Grant cannot exceed $2 million; at least 50 percent of the total project cost must come from non-federal matching funds (cash and in-kind contributions) provided by the grantee.
Four categories for the 2009 grant competition:
- Natural Resource Concerns, up to $5 million available
- Technology, up to $6 million available
- Grant Leveraging, up to $4 million available
- Chesapeake Bay Watershed, up to $5 million available
- Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
agricultural projects - Title IX of the 2008 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Bill contains several funding options for renewable energy projects.
- USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program
small business projects
- Research and development funding for alternative and renewable energy technology from the federal Department of Agriculture.
- Industrial Technologies Program, U.S. Department of Energy
industrial projects
- This program works to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance by 1) investing in high-risk, high-value research and development projects and 2) conducting on-site energy efficiency assessments for U.S. companies and offering information about best practices in energy management.
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Loan Guarantee Program, U.S. Department of Energy
commercial projects - Program is available for projects that "avoid, reduce or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases" and "employ new or significantly improved technologies as compared to technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee is issued." Application dates and deadlines are based on solicitations, for which prospects can register.
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Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy financing, U.S. Department of Energy
business, industry, university, residential, federal, state, tribal and inventor projects - Program offers grants, cooperative agreements, continuation and renewal awards for projects, research and development and procurement.
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Small Business Innovation Research program, U.S. Department of Energy
small business projects - Program provides funding for research and development on projects related to "clean" technology innovation.
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) programs
residential and small business projects
On Feb.17, 2009, President Obama signed the ARRA into law to infuse the economy with $787 billion. Pennsylvania is slated to receive $16 billion in federal funds, with a portion dedicated to clean energy. The ARRA amends several clean energy tax credits and incentives to spur further development.
- Definitions of terms and other general information, including programs for fuel-efficient automobiles is available from the Alliance to Save Energy.
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Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit
residential projects
The ARRA triples tax credits available to homeowners for energy-efficient improvements from 10 percent to 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500 per household through 2010.
- Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
residential projects
A 30-percent tax credit (with no cap) on installation of solar hot water heaters, photovoltaics, other solar electric technologies, small wind, fuel cells and geothermal heat pumps. This tax credit can be combined with Pennsylvania's Sunshine Program, the rebate from which is considered income. Because the state rebate is taxable, homeowners can take the federal credit based upon the full price of the solar system (without subtracting the rebate amount).
- Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC) and Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
commercial, industrial, utility projects
Taxpayers eligible for the PTC can take the federal ITC or receive a grant from the U.S. Treasury Department instead of taking the PTC for new installations. The new law also allows taxpayers eligible for the business ITC to receive a grant from the U.S. Treasury Department instead of taking the business ITC for new installations. It also extends the ITC for combined heat and power systems through 2016. These new provisions will provide funds to renewable energy companies that do not have enough tax liability to take the tax credit due to current market conditions, helping to keep the market moving forward.
- Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction
commercial projects
The ARRA extends this tax deduction of $1.80 per square foot for energy efficiency improvements to the end of 2013.
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