Florida's Largest PACE Program, YgreneWorks, Expands to Offer Over 5M Property Owners Access to Affordable Energy Efficiency and Climate Resiliency Improvements

Applications for financing double as Obama administration endorses PACE and home and business owners prepare for hurricane and climate change threats

News provided by

Ygrene Energy Fund

Jul 27, 2016, 07:00 ET

SANTA ROSA, Calif., July 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ygrene Energy Fund Inc., the nation's leading multi-state provider of residential, commercial and multifamily property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing, today announced that the number of Florida projects funded through its award-winning YgreneWorks™ program have tripled over the past year, with nearly 50 percent focused on hurricane preparedness. To satisfy the increase of property owners and certified contractors entering the program, Ygrene is establishing a state-of-the-art call center in Florida that will provide over 5 million property owners across 56 Florida municipalities access to its affordable financing.

On July 19, President Obama endorsed PACE as the cornerstone of the administration's Clean Energy Savings for All Initiative, a partnership between the Departments of Energy (DOE), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Agriculture (USDA), Health and Human Services (HHS), Veteran's Affairs (VA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase access to solar energy and promote energy efficiency across the United States and, in particular, in low- and moderate- income communities.

Faces of PACE: Floridians On Building Resilient Communities with YgreneWorks

Across Florida, Ygrene partners with elected officials, property owners, and a vast network of certified contractors to address the specific needs of communities, grow local businesses, and ensure equal and easy access to PACE financing. From application through approval, construction, project completion and funding, Ygrene's Consumer Protection policies ensure consumers are supported every step of the way through its complete set of contractor certification, underwriting, consumer disclosure, data security and senior protection processes:

Tomas Regalado (Mayor of the City of Miami): "Ygrene's program makes it possible for property owners to access funds to upgrade buildings for hurricane protection and energy efficiency. With insurance and utility costs rising, I am proud that we are able to offer this critical service to our community."
Carol Lopez-Bethel (Miami homeowner and satisfied YgreneWorks customer): "My husband and I are both retired, so we look forward to having as little financial strain as possible. With Ygrene, we were able to install solar and decrease our energy bills from $200-$300 a month to $20-$40 per month. I don't know why everyone hasn't signed up for PACE with Ygrene."
Daren Goldin (Owner of Goldin Solar Contracting): "I think Ygrene and PACE are absolutely brilliant. From my experience, the biggest barrier for people to invest in solar or energy efficiency is the up front costs – that is where PACE and Ygrene come in. Ygrene provides the up front capital with a very smooth and user-friendly platform to help homeowners understand project costs, annual payments, performance, and of course, what the energy savings and return on investment will be."

Ygrene has now financed over 90 percent of all Florida PACE projects, totaling $77 million in residential, commercial, and multifamily property upgrades that increase energy efficiency and climate resiliency to protect homes and businesses against hurricane impact.

"Since 2013 Ygrene has been providing Floridians with the financing solutions they need to protect their homes and businesses against rising energy costs and climate-related threats," said Stacey Lawson, CEO of Ygrene. "As demand for energy and weather-related upgrades continues to rise, we look forward to continuing to expand our operations and services in the Sunshine State to help our property owner, contractor, and elected official partners build strong, resilient communities."

About Ygrene Energy Fund
Ygrene Energy Fund is the nation's leading provider of residential and commercial property assessed clean energy financing. The award-winning, privately funded YgreneWorks^TM program provides immediately accessible financing with no upfront payments for energy efficiency, renewables, and, in certain areas, water conservation, hurricane protection, electric vehicle charging stations and seismic upgrades. Ygrene is committed to making it easy for families to invest in their future and a healthier environment. Over the next five years, YgreneWorks is expected to create tens of thousands of local jobs and invest hundreds of millions into local economies. Learn more at ygreneworks.com.

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SOURCE Ygrene Energy Fund