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Solar Energy Loan Fund Looks To Advance Home Improvement Loans

Matthew Brown
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Associated Press file photo

A U.S. Senate committee is working on a national “climate bank” proposal to funnel millions to infrastructure projects and focus on energy efficiency.

Duanne Andrade is the CEO of the nonprofit Solar Energy Loan Fundin Florida. She testified before that subcommittee about how green financing works. 

She said her organization provides financing to low- and moderate-income homeowners to first improve their home’s safety before doing any clean-energy upgrades.  

“A home or a building that doesn’t have a sturdy roof and good impact windows, or hurricane shutters even, it’s pointless to talk about putting solar array on it, right?  There are basic things that need to be done.” 

Andrade said the Solar Energy Loan Fund works with homeowners based on their ability to repay, not simply on their credit scores or income. 

The full interview with Andrade is available on Tuesday’s First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross, which encores at 8 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9.

Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.

Michelle Corum joined WJCT as "Morning Edition" host in 2012 and has worked in public broadcasting as an announcer and reporter for public radio stations in Lawrence, Kansas, and Interlochen, Michigan. She also manages WJCT's Radio Reading Service for sight-impaired listeners.