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San Francisco Chronicle September 23rd, 2005 article on upcoming On Bill Financing programs in California

Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
(415)-680-2188

info@smallbusinesscalifornia.org

On Bill Financing

(in a nutshell)

On Bill Financing is a utility based method of providing seamless 0% financing through the monthly power bill for small business energy efficiency improvements.  Several successful On Bill Financing programs exist in New England.  The best of these programs allow for lower incentives to leverage more energy efficiency investments, thus providing more small businesses with the opportunity to address energy costs as a "controllable", thus helping the bottom line.

 All On Bill Financing programs in New England have the same basic components:

  • No up front costs - 0% financing

  • Loan repayment based on estimated energy savings

  • Customers pay about the same per month as they did before participating - once improvements are paid off all savings is reflected in lower monthly bills.

  • Permanent efficiency improvements are the focus providing long term savings.

  • It only takes one check - loan repayment is rolled into the monthly electric bill

Typical California small business energy efficiency programs average $1000 +/- per installation with around $200 of small business owner investment.  The United Illuminating Small Business Energy Advantage in Connecticut averages $7800 per installation value with an average of $5200 of small business owner investment.  That translates to thousands instead of hundreds of dollars saved per business per year.