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Keystone Home Energy Loan Program

Energy Efficiency - Residential Lending

The Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (Keystone HELP) was developed and piloted by the WPPSEF, The Gemstone Group, and AFC First Financial in 2005. The financing program was developed to promote ENERGY STAR labeled products in the West Penn Power (WPP) service region. WPPSEF provided $13,500 to fund Keystone HELP initial marketing efforts and a $1M loan pool for WPP homeowners who wanted to install ENERGY STAR labeled products by Keystone HELP certified contractors. Within the first few months, the Pennsylvania Treasury provided the necessary base funding to take the WPP pilot program statewide. The Pennsylvania Treasury provided a $20 million dollars to support a statewide loan program, which provided homeowners across the Commonwealth in low-interest loans to install ENERGY STAR labeled products in their home. Program funding was increased as the program grew. On August 30, 2012 the Pennsylvania Treasury announced that it issued its 10,000th loan to make homes more energy efficient. On October 25, 2013 the Keystone HELP program won the prestigious 2013 Andromeda Star of Energy Efficiency award. By 2013, Keystone HELP had provided more than $100 million in financing to over 11,000 Pennsylvania homeowners for energy efficiency improvements.

Fast forward to the present; Keystone HELP has made nearly 14,000 loans totaling over $125 million dollars throughout the Commonwealth. Keystone HELP lending has led to an annualized savings of 20 MWh of electricity, 400k cu. ft. natural gas, and 300k gallons of fuel oil. WPPSEF congratulates AFC First on this tremendous success and would like to thank the Pennsylvania Treasury, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for taking a leadership role to support this program. Keystone HELP is now an innovative solution from Renew Financial. Their affordable financing program offers interest rates lower than most traditional financing, allowing homeowners to make essential energy efficient upgrades that enhance their home’s comfort and value, while helping their communities save resources.

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