Hawaii
Energy Policy Forum > 2003
Articles
Loans set for solar water systems
Honolulu Advertiser
Thursday, April 24, 2003
Solar water-heating systems will be more affordable for
low- to
moderate-income homeowners and landlords under a loan program
introduced yesterday by the city and Hawaiian Electric Co.
The
Honolulu Solar Roofs Initiative will offer seven-year loans
at 0
percent to 2 percent financing, in addition to HECO's $750
rebate for
solar installations. The loans can be used for single-family
homes,
condominiums and co-ops. Qualifying landlords must rent their
properties to tenants who fall within the city's low-to-moderate
income limits.
The loans will be administered through HECO
and the city Department
of Community Services, using money from the city's Rehabilitation
Loan Program.
Mayor Jeremy Harris and T. Michael May, president
and chief executive
officer of HECO, announced their partnership in this project
yesterday. "Hawai'i already has the largest concentration
of solar
water-heating systems per capita in the nation, in part because
of
the rebates we've been offering for the last seven years," May
said.
"
Now, more people will be able to save energy and money with
solar
water heating."
Harris yesterday also signed a memorandum
of agreement with the U.S.
Department of Energy and the state Department of Business
and
Economic Development & Tourism that will help Honolulu
to incorporate
clean energy technologies, green building technologies and
sustainable technology policies and programs into priority
city
initiatives and development projects.
"
This coordination with the state and federal governments
will enable
us to better protect our environment and improve the quality
of life
for ourselves and our children," Harris said. "Honolulu
can be the
showcase for technologies, policies and resources that can
provide
solutions to current and future energy challenges."© COPYRIGHT
2003 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co .
Inc.
|
