Removing Barriers to Our Clean Energy Future
Our Story
Whether it’s rooftop solar, battery storage, or electric vehicles, the rapidly changing energy landscape offers exciting opportunities for economic development and community renewal. But accessing these technologies requires access to capital. And, too often, many people are currently being left behind.
The North Carolina Clean Energy Fund exists to solve this. Using the tried and tested “Green Bank” model, NCCEF serves as both an educator and financial bridge by:
- Making loans where other institutions might not
- Providing capital to help communities leverage federal resources
- Sharing expertise with community lending partners to help drive private investment
The end goal is simple: To empower underserved communities across North Carolina to improve health outcomes, lower their energy bills, build resilience, and take charge of their own energy future. Through funding and facilitating early stage investments, we are laying the groundwork for what will eventually evolve into a robust ecosystem for local, market-based solutions.
Our Mission
Our mission is to accelerate investment in clean and efficient energy solutions and increase climate resilience in North Carolina, particularly to the benefit of underserved populations. We partner with public and private investors, foundations and other non-profit organizations to deploy sustainable financing solutions that will create long-lasting environmental, economic and social benefits.
What Is a Green Bank?
Green banks are clean energy businesses that use innovative financial tools to increase sustainable investment. Bringing together commercial, public, and mission-driven capital, green banks serve as both lenders and catalysts. In addition to bridge loans, credit enhancements and co-investment, green banks also serve as subject matter experts for other community lenders. The end result is both a direct increase in capital available for community-based clean energy projects, as well as a more favorable lending landscape overall. Read More
Why NCCEF? Why Now?
NCCEF was established by a small group of dedicated North Carolinians who kept hearing the same issue: Technologies like solar, battery storage, heat pumps and electric vehicles had the potential to improve life in many underserved communities, but access to affordable capital was missing.
With expertise in both clean energy and finance, and led by its co-executive directors Jennifer Weiss and Melissa Malkin-Weber, the NCCEF team believes we are in a unique moment of opportunity. Building on the momentum from the Inflation Reduction Act, NCCEF is partnering with respected community organizations and lenders like The Hive Fund, Self Help Credit Union, and Wells Fargo—as well as state agencies like the NC State Energy Office and Department of Commerce—to adapt the the green bank model for the Tar Heel State.
NCCEF connects North Carolina communities with the technical assistance, resources, and investment they need. And it works to make sure they have access to their fair share of the billions of dollars in clean energy finance that are just beginning to flow into communities across the country.
NCCEF believes that every community can benefit from a healthy environment, secure and affordable energy, and a strong and diverse economy. And it is committed to turning those beliefs into a reality.