(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), DC Green Bank, Flywheel Development, and SunStyle, alongside Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and other District elected and government officials, celebrated the completion of the first solar shingle project under the District’s Solar for All program. The project is a community renewable energy facility (CREF or community solar) located in Ward 4 and is one of nearly 200 community solar installations that are part of Solar for All, which is designed to bring the benefits of solar to 100,000 income-qualified DC residents by 2032. The partners released a video today highlighting the new installation and the benefits these projects are bringing to the District.

This community solar installation is the first of its kind in the Solar for All program and is also the first project in the DC area to use the SunStyle solar shingle. Solar shingles and roofing like SunStyle’s are unique in that they produce electricity like a traditional solar panel but also serve as the actual roofing material. This solar roof will produce enough electricity to serve six income-qualified DC families through Solar for All Community Solar subscriptions.

Flywheel Development, a DC-based solar developer and participant in the Solar for All program since 2019, has worked closely with the DCSEU and DC Green Bank to make the project a reality. Since 2019, Flywheel has completed 24 Solar for All Community Solar installations and expects to complete another 11 working with both organizations this year.

“The DCSEU and DC Green Bank are critical partners for these projects,” said Jessica Pitts, co-founder and CEO of Flywheel Development. “The incentives the DCSEU provides through the Solar for All program and the affordable financing provided by DC Green Bank enable us to build our business, bring solar to buildings where it may not have been an option, and to be a part of the District’s transformation to a clean energy economy.”

DC Green Bank, established by DC Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser in 2018, has been working closely with Flywheel Development on Solar for All projects for the past two years to provide construction financing. To date, the DC Green Bank has committed more than $25 million in financing to support local businesses and advance the District’s clean energy, environment, and equity goals.

“Flywheel brought us our first financing project back in 2020 and we are incredibly proud to continue to work with them to bring these Solar for All projects to life that will serve low- to moderate-income families here in DC,” said Eli Hopson, CEO of DC Green Bank. “DC Green Bank is a key piece of the puzzle to provide access to capital for smaller and growing companies, and we want to work with more businesses like Flywheel that are seeking to expand in sustainable industries across the city.”

This year under Solar for All, the DCSEU, who manages the program on behalf of the District Department of Energy & Environment, is providing more than $11.5 million in incentives to local solar contractors and developers to install solar systems on single-family homes of income-qualified DC families, as well to develop larger community solar systems like this one in Ward 4. In total, this work is expected to help more than 2,600 income-qualified DC families cut their electricity bills by about 50 percent, up to $500 per year, for the next 15 years.

“Solar for All is making a significant impact here in the District by creating opportunities for local contractors, creating jobs for District residents, and most importantly, creating lasting electricity bill savings for income-qualified DC families,” said Ted Trabue, Managing Director of the DCSEU. “Local contractors like Flywheel Development are bringing innovative technologies like this to the program and are critical to ensuring the District meets its clean energy and climate goals.”

 

Read the Full Release Below 

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DC Green Bank Ribbon Cutting - Rock Creek Ford Solar for All Program

June 27, 2022

By Tristan Navera, Washington Business Journal

D.C. Green Bank and the Latino Economic Development Center are committing $1 million to help small businesses and community organizations in some of the District’s most underserved neighborhoods make their properties more energy efficient.

The Green Bank will lend $900,000 and LEDC has committed an additional $100,000 to fund “dozens of new solar installations and renewable energy retrofit projects” across Wards 5, 7, and 8, the organizations said in a joint statement.

Loans will range between $25,000 and $250,000 and will be repaid in around 10 years. Eli Hopson, CEO of D.C. Green Bank, said the funding commitment will help keep these kinds of renewable projects going in the face of rising energy and financing costs.

“Renewable energy and energy efficiency projects like those funded through this partnership will deliver immediate utility bill savings, increase cash flow for small businesses and community-serving organizations, and save them money over the long term,” Hopson said in a statement.

The partnership may not end there. Emi Reyes, the CEO of LEDC, said the organizations have discussed teaming up to fund similar projects in the future.

 

Read the Full Article Here

DC Green Bank and the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) today announced the closing of an innovative $1,000,000 joint venture to support the delivery of dozens of new solar installations and energy efficiency retrofits for small businesses and community-serving organizations across Wards 5, 7, and 8. Community borrowers can apply for loans ranging from $25,000 – $250,000 with repayment periods as long as 10 years, with larger loans possible on a case-by-case basis. The $1,000,000 venture will be capitalized by $900,000 from DC Green Bank and $100,000 from LEDC.

The partnership will unlock much-needed capital in a tough economic climate for community-serving institutions, including small businesses, child development centers, assisted living facilities, houses of worship, grocery stores, self-service laundry facilities, restaurants, beauty salons, and more critical organizations across District neighborhoods. Loans can be used for all elements of an intended project, including design, engineering, installation, and construction, in pursuit of renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades as well as sustainable building standards like LEED. Unlike traditional financial institutions, which assess loan applications based solely on credit scores, this joint venture will determine borrowers’ ability to repay through a holistic approach, increasing equity and expansion opportunities for borrowers that may be excluded from identifying financing elsewhere.

Eli Hopson, CEO of DC Green Bank, said of the joint venture, “We are proud to partner with an organization like LEDC that has a long track record of delivering impact and increasing the financial strength of entire communities. One of our core values is Inclusive Prosperity, and that means everyone in the District should have the opportunity to thrive and benefit from renewable energy and the Clean Economy. Like-minded partners like LEDC bring our message and mission into new communities, and we are excited to get to work.” Renewable energy and energy efficiency projects like those funded through this partnership will deliver immediate utility bill savings, increase cash flow for small businesses and community-serving organizations, and save them money over the long term. Many efficiency upgrades, including implementing lighting and water upgrades, pay for themselves in just a few years and deliver lasting savings that can be repurposed to invest in business or service expansion.

With energy and financing costs escalating rapidly across the country, partnerships like this will serve as a lifeline to community organizations and catalyze a green economic recovery across the District. Emi Reyes, Chief Executive Officer of LEDC, said of the partnership, “DC Green Bank will serve as a powerful ally as we work to expand the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency to underserved communities. As we seek to expand economic equality, particularly during these times, we want other organizations and small businesses in the District to understand that we are here to help them not only survive but rather thrive.” DC Green Bank and LEDC are in discussions to identify additional opportunities to invest in line with their overlapping missions.

Read the Full Release Below 

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DC Green Bank y el Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) anunciaron hoy un programa conjunto de $1,000,000 para apoyar la implementación de nuevas instalaciones solares y la rehabilitación de eficiencia energética para pequeñas empresas y otras organizaciones de servicios comunitarios en los distritos 5, 7 y 8 de Washington, DC. Los prestatarios en estas comunidades podrán solicitar préstamos que van desde $25,000 – $250,000, con plazos de pago de hasta 10 años, e inclusive tendrán la oportunidad de aplicar a préstamos más grandes en algunos casos particulares. El programa conjunto de $1,000,000 estará compuesto por $900,000 de DC Green Bank y $100,000 de LEDC.

Este programa busca proporcionar capital indispensable en este clima económico, el cual no tiende a favorecer a las empresas u organizaciones que prestan sus servicios a la comunidad, como las pequeñas empresas, los centros de desarrollo infantil, los centros de asistencia para los adultos mayores, los santuarios de fe, las abarroterías, las lavanderías de autoservicio, los restaurantes, los salones de belleza y otras organizaciones importantes que brindan servicios dedicados a varias comunidades necesitadas del Distrito. Los préstamos podrán ser utilizados para financiar todos los elementos de un plan de actualización de energía renovable y eficiencia energética que estén incluidos dentro del diseño, la ingeniería, la instalación y la construcción de dicho plan, o para implementar estándares de construcción sostenible como LEED. A diferencia de otras instituciones financieras tradicionales, que evalúan las solicitudes de préstamo basándose únicamente en los puntajes de crédito del potencial prestador, este programa determinará la capacidad de pago de los prestatarios a través de un enfoque más holístico. Es decir, buscará aumentar las oportunidades de equidad y expansión para los prestatarios que de otra manera podrían ser excluidos de otro tipo de financiamiento.

Eli Hopson, Director Ejecutivo de DC Green Bank, comento: “Estamos orgullosos de asociarnos con una organización como LEDC que posee un largo historial de generar un impacto positivo en muchas comunidades y de aumentar la solidez financiera de dichas comunidades. Uno de nuestros valores centrales es fomentar la Prosperidad Inclusiva para que todos en el Distrito tengan la oportunidad de prosperar y beneficiarse de la energía renovable y una economía limpia. Socios como LEDC llevan nuestro mensaje y misión a nuevas comunidades, y estamos emocionados de poder trabajar juntos en este programa”. Los proyectos de energía renovable y eficiencia energética financiados a través de este programa conjunto le generarán a los prestatarios ahorros inmediatos en sus facturas de servicios públicos, aumentarán el flujo de efectivo para las pequeñas empresas y las organizaciones de servicios comunitarios, ahorrándoles a su vez dinero a largo plazo. Muchas mejoras destinadas a la eficiencia energética, como la implementación de mejoras de iluminación y agua, se verán reflejadas como ahorros duraderos que pueden reutilizarse para invertir en la expansión de los pequeños negocios, así como también la expansión de sus servicios para el público.

Con los costos de energía y tasas de financiamiento aumentando rápidamente en todo el país, estos tipos de programas servirán como un salvavidas para las organizaciones comunitarias, procurando una recuperación económica más ecológica en todo el Distrito. Emi Reyes, Directora Ejecutiva de LEDC, estableció que: “DC Green Bank servirá como un poderoso aliado mientras trabajamos en expandir los beneficios de la energía renovable y la eficiencia energética a varias comunidades desatendidas. A medida que buscamos expandir la igualdad económica, particularmente durante estos tiempos, queremos que otras organizaciones y pequeñas empresas en el Distrito sepan que estamos aquí para ayudarlos no solo a sobrevivir sino también a prosperar”. DC Green Bank y LEDC siguen en conversaciones para identificar otras oportunidades adicionales de inversión que coinciden con sus misiones particulares.

Lea el Comunicado Completo Abajo

June-2022-LEDC_DCGB-Press-Release-Espanol
  • June 15, 2022
  • 12:00 pm
  • Virtual
  • Registration Closed

    DC Green Finance Authority (“DC Green Bank”) will conduct a Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors, pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, (DC Official Code §2-574(1)).

    Pre-registration is required.

     

    Download Agenda Here

    Regular Meeting of the DC Green Bank Board of Directors

    June 15 2022
  • April 26, 2022
  • 12:00 pm
  • Zoom
  • Registration Closed
    Participants must be registered to join.

    Join DC Green Bank as we launch the Community Impact Initiative (CII). CII is a pathway open to small businesses, community-based organizations, and non-profits that would benefit from affordable financing, additional technical and management assistance, and end-to-end support from one of our various partners to pursue deferred maintenance needs that increase the sustainability of your building and save you money on your operations. Come hear more about this program from those who have piloted it and meet our partners Go Green Together and ThinkBox. This launch event will give you the details on how to get started in moving your organization towards a clean, green, and affordable future.

    Who can access Community Impact Initiative resources?

    – Childcare Centers
    – Food Pantries
    – Faith-Based Institutions
    – Homeless Shelters
    – Community Centers
    – Non-profit Organizations
    – Other Community-Serving Organizations

    DC Green Bank financing through the Community Impact Initiative can be used for the following:

    – HVAC Upgrades and Replacements
    – Water Efficiency
    – Building Insulation
    – Window Replacement and Remediation
    – Lighting Replacements and Upgrades
    – Roof Repairs and Replacement
    – Solar Panel Installation
    – Building Controls and Smart Systems
    – And More!

    Community Impact Initiative Launch Event

    April 26 2022

    (Washington, D.C.) – DC Green Bank today announced the closing of an investment of more than $500,000 to support Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington as it pursues upgrades to its sanctuary building cooling system and considers additional building efficiency upgrades and capital improvements. This investment is part of DC Green Bank’s Community Impact Initiative (CII) pilot program. The CII pilot is designed to support community-serving institutions, including houses of worship, as they pursue building and systems upgrades that increase energy efficiency, bring down operating costs, and allow them to direct those savings to other deferred maintenance needs. The program also provides support to institutions throughout every stage of the project – from financial document and record identification all of the way through closing. DC Green Bank worked with Go Green Together (GGT) to support Shiloh to outline their energy system needs, assist in preparing the records and information needed to apply for a loan, identify mechanical, electric, and plumbing (MEP) contractors to undertake the work, and get the church to the closing table. The cooling system upgrade alone is expected to reduce electricity demand by the church by approximately 550 kWh for every eight hours of operation, eliminating the equivalent level of toxic emissions as avoiding over 980 miles driven by a typical passenger car.

    Located in Ward 2, Shiloh Baptist Church is one of the oldest historically Black churches in the city and a leader in the faith community in the District and beyond. Donald F. Richardson, Chair, Board of Trustees, Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington, said of the partnership with DC Green Bank and Go Green Together, “We are proud to work with DC Green Bank and Go Green Together to meet our cooling system replacement needs as well as continue discussions about pursuing other systems and facilities upgrades in the coming months. Having a pilot program like the Community Impact Initiative that is dedicated to our city’s community-serving organizations fills an important gap for many institutions that may not be able to access affordable financing through private financial institutions. The ability to be able to finance large investments for our congregation that not only save us money, but are paid back solely on the expected utility savings is a game changer.” The initial loan will finance the purchase and installation of a new, highly energy efficient chiller to cool the sanctuary building. The partners will continue conversations about the potential for additional upgrades and retrofits.

    DC Green Bank is prioritizing CII to align with its core values – Sustainability, Clean Economy, and Inclusive Prosperity – in order to ensure that no community organizations get left behind in the transition to a cleaner future, that they are able to share in the financial savings that come along with it, and they can show leadership in the climate realm in addition to their core missions. Eli Hopson, CEO of DC Green Bank, said of the deal, “We are honored to provide financing to Shiloh Baptist Church to help meet the needs of their congregation and their facilities. Shiloh is exactly the type of institution that CII was created to serve, and we could not have asked for a better partner to showcase the impact of green finance. Faith-based institutions have the power to lead entire communities to a cleaner, greener, and more equitable future, and we are excited to provide financing for many more to come through CII.”

    April-2022-Shiloh_DCGB_GGT-CII-Press-Release
  • April 20, 2022
  • 12:00 pm
  • Zoom
  • Registration Closed

    DC Green Finance Authority (“DC Green Bank”) will conduct a Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors, pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, (DC Official Code §2-574(1)).

    Pre-registration is required.

     

    Download Agenda Here

    REGULAR MEETING OF THE DC GREEN BANK BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    April 20, 2022
  • March 24, 2022
  • 12:00 pm
  • Union Station
  • Registration Closed

    Mayor Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2023 #FairShot budget is making significant investments in the District’s infrastructure, including roads and bridges, bike lanes, traffic calming and safety measures, as well as improvements to roadways, alleys, and sidewalks. Additionally, the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide billions in funding and grants to the District to invest in roads and bridges, electric charging infrastructure, and more. The Mayor directed the creation of the Build DC Infrastructure Task Force so that the District can maximize this once-in-a-generation funding opportunity to bolster the city’s competitiveness and resiliency in the region, nationally and globally.

    The events can be streamed live on Channel 16, Twitter, and the Mayor’s Live Event Page. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations, please contact (202) 442-8150 or eomevents@dc.gov. ASL and real-time captioning will be provided.

    Social Media:

    Twitter: @MayorBowser Instagram: @Mayor_Bowser Facebook: facebook.com/MayorMurielBowser

    Learn More Here

  • March 24, 2022
  • 9:00 am - 10:30 am
  • Virtual
  • Registration Closed

    Join Penn IUR, Perry World House, and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy for a two-day virtual meeting on urban adaptation to climate change. A series of expert panels will highlight the implementation and financing of subnational programs and projects designed to adapt to such global warming-induced hazards that threaten urban lives and livelihoods as rising sea levels and storm surges, heat stress, extreme precipitation, inland and coastal flooding, landslides, drought, increased aridity, water scarcity, wildfires, and air pollution.

    Our CEO Eli Hopson will speak during the 9:00 – 10:30 am session on March 24 on a panel about Financing the Clean Energy Transition for Building Climate Resilience.

    Jeffrey Sachs, University Professor and Director, Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University will offer a keynote address on the challenges and opportunities of urban adaptation finance. The eight panels that follow include speakers from the public, private and non-governmental sectors, including Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone; Alice Charles, Lead Author, Cities, Infrastructure and Urban Services, World Economic Forum; David Dodman, Lead author, Chapter 6 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, Director, Human Settlements, International Institute for Environment and Development; Hazem Galal, Global Leader for Cities and Local Government, PwC-Middle East; Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona; Jerome Jean Haegeli, Group Chief Economist, Swiss Re Institute; Claudio Orrego, Governor, Metropolitan Region of Santiago de Chile; Aromar Revi, Director, Indian Institute for Human Settlements; Sameh Wahba, Global Director, Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice, World Bank; Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 Cities; and Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President, Program Strategy and Chief of Staff, Rockefeller Foundation. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN Undersecretary and Executive Director, UN Habitat will offer a greeting and Dr. Poldergeist—an invention of Simon Richter, Professor of German and Department Chair, Germanic Languages and Literatures, Penn School of Arts & Sciences-—to publicize the topic, will stop in for a visit.

  • March 25, 2022
  • 11:00 am
  • International Trade Center - 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
  • Registration Closed

    Join Mayor Bowser for March Madness, a showcase of the District’s real estate, housing and business support initiatives.

    The events can be streamed live on Channel 16, Twitter, and the Mayor’s Live Event Page. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations, please contact (202) 442-8150 or eomevents@dc.gov. ASL and real-time captioning will be provided.

    Learn More Here

    By Tristan Navera, Washington Business Journal

    Mi Casa Inc. has landed some of the money it needs to start work on a long-planned affordable housing project slated for 14 Florida Ave. NW in Truxton Circle.

    D.C. Green Bank closed on a $255,728 pre-development loan for the new Barnett-Adan Apartments development in Ward 5. It will include a 3,000-square-foot office and 27 housing units for residents earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. The project is to include permanent supportive housing, while Mi Casa Inc. plans to use the office as its headquarters.

    This is the first project to benefit from D.C. Green Bank’s “Navigator” loan, a concept pioneered with Inclusive Prosperity Capital to provide gap financing for developments that are otherwise hard to finance. It will have a 1.99% interest rate and helps finance costs related to energy efficiency improvements, energy audits design and engineering work for green features. In Mi Casa’s original application to the Board of Zoning Adjustment filed in June 2019, it expressed a goal of building a net-zero project with solar rooftop panels.

    Read the Full Article Here

  • March 31, 2022
  • 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
  • Virtual
  • Registration Closed

    Did you know?  Buildings account for more than 70% of DC’s greenhouse gas emissions.

    The District’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) are part of the city’s efforts to cut energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2032, and make DC carbon neutral by 2050.

    Developers, owners, and property managers whose buildings don’t meet the standards could face challenges navigating the process and making the necessary improvements.

    Join us virtually for this FREE event to learn more about the informational, technical, and financial resources available in DC to help your building make the grade, meet the Building Energy Performance Standards, and cut emissions, energy use, and operating costs.

     

    Making the Grade

    March 31, 2022