The Clean Energy Solutions Center, in partnership with Clean Energy Works, hosted this webinar on inclusive financing for distributed energy solutions.

Utilities around the world can harness the strength of their business model to ensure distributed energy solutions are accessible to all. Cost effective energy efficiency upgrades, rooftop solar and other distributed energy solutions can be financed through an opt-in tariff that preserves consumer choice and clears many barriers presented by financing mechanisms such as loans, leases and liens. Utilities that serve areas with persistent poverty recognize the importance of offering inclusive financing solutions while securing assurance of cost recovery.

The webinar featured the experience of two utilities that already offer opt-in tariffs on-bill investment programs for building energy upgrades, serving customers without regard to renter status, credit history or income. Field experience shows this approach provides distributed energy solution providers a larger addressable market and stronger demand, accelerating voluntary investment.

Presentations were followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.

Panelists

Curtis Wynn, CEO, Roanoke Electric

Mr. Wynn is the President and CEO of Roanoke Electric, a leading electric utility in tariffed on-bill financing through its Upgrade to $ave investment program. Mr. Wynn is an elected officer on the board of the national association of all electric cooperatives, non-profit utilities in the U.S. that are owned by the customers they serve. Mr. Wynn is distinguished in his career in the electric power industry for leadership on local economic development, including investments in energy efficiency and community solar.

Mark Cayce, CEO, Ouachita Electric

Mr. Cayce has over 39 years of experience in the electric utility industry, including 15 years with Texas Utilities and more than 10 years with Jackson Electric in South Texas. Since 2002, he has served as the General Manager and CEO for Ouachita Electric Cooperative headquartered in Camden, Arkansas, USA. In addition, Mr. Cayce is the Chairman of Today’s Power Inc. (TPI), which provides solar services and products in Arkansas to cooperative electric utilities.

Holmes Hummel, Principal, Clean Energy Works

Dr. Hummel is the founder of Clean Energy Works, which accelerates capital deployment for distributed energy solutions in the power sector. Clean Energy Works is known for building a bridge across the “clean energy divide” to allow investment in market segments that are hard to reach due to common disqualifying criteria for financing. At the Bloomberg New Energy Finance annual summit, Clean Energy Works won a Fire Award for high impact innovation in finance, receiving recognition for advancing tariffed on-bill investment through a Pay As You Save® (PAYS®) approach. Dr. Hummel has served as the Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Department of Energy´s policy office (2009-2013).