Background
Through years of experience developing and implementing energy efficiency programs to residential customers, WECC identified that the initial cost of energy efficient products was oftentimes an obstacle to customers wanting to make their homes more energy efficient. WECC recognized the need to develop a financing program to promote energy efficiency measures which would provide affordable monthly loan payments, offset in part by the homeowner's reduced utility cost as their new energy efficient improvements would require less energy to operate.

During this period Fannie Mae was introducing an Energy Improvement Loan that offered homeowners an unsecured financing option for energy efficient improvements made to their residence. In 1996, following a detailed application process, WECC began offering energy efficient loans to homeowners in Wisconsin under the name of Energy Finance Solutions.

In 1997, WECC began to offer the EFS loan program to clients in other states and currently operates programs in 11 states. Since January of 1999, over 6,300 loans have been funded representing over $57 million in energy efficiency improvements.

With recent expansion into several new states over the past year, EFS has grown into one of the nation's premier lenders of Fannie Mae's Energy Improvement Loan Program.

Why has EFS become so successful?
EFS is able to provide clients a financing niche that banks and finance companies are unable to offer by combining years of lending experience with WECC's knowledge and expertise in the energy efficiency field. EFS not only handles all of the loan processing and paperwork, EFS also understands energy efficiency. From windows to insulation, ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances to programmable thermostats, EFS provides an affordable financing solution to customers to help make their home more comfortable, durable, and energy efficient.