On-bill repayment programs
Energy efficiency program spurs green jobs, clean energy and customer savings
On-bill repayment (OBR) offers an opportunity for residential and commercial property owners to finance energy efficiency and renewable electricity generation projects through cost-savings loans from third-party investors. The loans are repaid through customers’ utility bills and financed at no additional cost to ratepayers. OBR allows for longer term loans with lower interest rates.
EDF has been building a coalition of environmental groups, financial institutions, contractors and project developers to help develop OBR programs.
The program can work for single-family, multi-family and commercial buildings. The on-bill repayment can be structured for a variety of financing techniques, including loans, leases, Energy Service Agreements and Power Purchase Agreements.
Benefits of OBR include:
- No direct costs to taxpayers or ratepayers
- Job creation
- Customer access to low-cost capital
- Acceleration of clean energy investments and emissions reductions
- Reduced program costs through a scalable platform and standardized processes
- Avoided cost of new generation capacity and reduced use of higher-cost generation for ratepayers
OBR provides a new route to funding clean energy investments at attractive terms, creating jobs and lowering our carbon footprint. On the national level, EDF estimates that expanding low-cost energy efficiency financing, through programs like OBR, could boost employment job-years by 1 million over the next decade (a job-year is a full-time job that lasts for one year). And, at scale, EDF estimates that OBR could help to avoid 200 million metric tons over the course of a decade, or about 50,000 cars off the road (based on year 2010 models).
EDF is building coalitions and securing the necessary regulatory and legislative changes to enact and/or expand OBR programs in California, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
Related blog posts
Our on-bill repayment experts
Media contacts
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Mica Vehik512/691-3451 (office)
512/619-8453 (cell)
Email Mica

Fact sheets
National OBR factsheet [PDF]
California OBR factsheet [PDF]
Texas OBR factsheet [PDF]
North Carolina OBR factsheet [PDF]
Ohio OBR factsheet [PDF]
Utility OBR factsheet [PDF]
Reports and presentations
- Presentation: On-Bill Repayment, November 2012 [PDF]
- Recommendations for Energy Efficiency Finance Pilot Programs, Report to the California Investor-Owned Utilities, October 19, 2012 [PDF]
- Presentation: On-Bill Repayment: A proposal to Increase Investment in Texas Presentation, August 2012 [PDF]
- Energy Efficiency Financing Solutions Chart from Citi, February 28, 2013 [PDF]
- On-Bill Repayment: Innovative Models, Strategies for Communities PowerPoint Presentation, April 18,2012 [PDF]
- On-Bill Repayment: Unlocking the Energy Efficiency Puzzle in California, January 11, 2012 [PDF]
- American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) Report on On-Bill Financing for Energy Efficiency Improvements [PDF]
- CA PUC Ruling on Energy Efficiency May 10, 2012 [PDF] (see pages 94-136 for Financing Section)
- CPUC proposed decision [PDF] (See pages 99-137 for Financing Section)
- Proposed California legislation
- Enacted New York statute
Public Utility Commission policy documents
- California Public Utility Commission Energy Efficiency Programs And Budget Ruling, November 16, 2012 [PDF]
- California Public Utility Commission Energy Efficiency Programs And Budget Proposed Decision, November 8, 2012 [PDF]
- California Public Utility Commission Energy Efficiency Financing Ruling, May 18, 2012 [PDF]
- California Public Utility Commission Ruling on Energy Efficiency May 10, 2012 [PDF] (see pages 94-136 for Financing Section)
- On-Bill Financing: Evaluation and Market Assessment for the California IOUS, May 1, 2012 [PDF]
- California Public Utility Commission Proposed Decision, March 20, 2011 [PDF] (See pages 99-137 for Financing Section)
- Proposed California Legislation, February 6, 2011 [PDF]
- Enacted New York Statute, June 22, 2011 [PDF]
Media coverage
- California approves program eliminating upfront cost of energy upgrades, Forbes, November 20, 2012
- A new way to foot efficiency upgrades, New York Times, November 12, 2012
- Pioneering energy efficiency – moving ahead with less government help, EnergyBiz Magazine, May/June 2012
Letters from financial institutions on key features of OBR
- Letter from PineBridge to Commissioner Ferron dated August 2, 2013
- Letter from Metrus Energy to Brad Copithorne dated July 2, 2013
- Letter from Matadors Community Credit Union to Brad Copithorne dated July 12, 2013
- Letter from Carbon Lighthouse to Brad Copithorne dated July 5, 2013
- Letter from SCIenergy to Brad Copithorne dated July 15, 2013