The Green Energy Loan Fund (GELF)
Administered by Reinvestment Fund
GELF does not serve single-family homeowners; it finances energy improvements only for commercial, nonprofit, multifamily, local government, and industrial properties in Pennsylvania. If you own a multifamily building, you can access low-interest loans (typically 3.5%–4.5%) ranging from $100,000 to $2.5 million or more for energy retrofits, renewable energy systems, and efficiency upgrades, with loan terms up to 15 years matching the life of improvements. Submit an Initial Financing Request Form to PaGELF@reinvestment.com and demonstrate that your project will reduce energy consumption by at least 25% for retrofits or meet other savings targets depending on project type.
GELF offers your commercial, nonprofit, multifamily, or industrial clients access to low-interest, long-term financing (up to 15 years) for energy conservation measures, distributed generation, and combined-heat-and-power systems as part of larger energy projects. Projects must meet specific energy-savings thresholds—25% reduction for retrofits, 10% below code for gut rehabs, or 15% below code for new construction—verified by an energy professional, and borrowers must demonstrate meaningful community benefits such as job creation or housing affordability. Reinvestment Fund combines GELF capital with other sources into a single blended loan, typically for projects exceeding $1 million in total cost.
GELF, managed by Reinvestment Fund with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection support, is a revolving loan fund serving commercial, nonprofit, multifamily residential, local government, and industrial properties across Pennsylvania (excluding single-family homes). The program finances energy efficiency retrofits, renewable energy, and combined-heat-and-power systems when bundled with efficiency measures; GELF capital (3.5%–4.5%) is blended with other Reinvestment Fund sources, with borrowers' final rates typically higher than GELF's component rate and terms up to 15 years aligned with improvement lifespans. Applicants must submit an Initial Financing Request Form and provide energy analysis demonstrating savings targets (25% for limited retrofits, 25% from historical usage for extensive retrofits, 10% below code for gut rehabs, 15% below code for new construction) and evidence of community benefits.
Program details
- Program ID
- 22779
- Last updated
- 8/8/2025
Eligibility
- Sectors
- commercial industrial local government nonprofit multifamily residential
- Technologies
- solar photovoltaics combined heat & power clothes washers dishwasher refrigerators/freezers water heaters lighting lighting controls/sensors hvac general air sealing
Program summary
The Pennsylvania Green Energy Loan Fund (GELF) is a revolving loan fund managed by the Reinvestment Fund with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. It offers low-interest loan financing for energy efficiency retrofits and the installation of energy conservation measures and high-performance energy systems in all building types except single-family residential homes. These properties include commercial, nonprofit, local government, multifamily, and industrial buildings/facilities.
Loans typically range from $100,000 and $2,500,000 or more. The loan term will be consistent with the life of the improvements, up to 15 years. Interest rates differ on a case-by-case basis, but generally range from 3.5% to 4.5%.
There are four categories of eligible energy conservation and efficiency improvements:
- Projects involving one or two energy retrofit measures or the replacement of single systems or equipment in an existing, occupied building.
- Projects involving multiple energy retrofit measures in an existing, occupied building.
- Projects involving the gut rehab of an existing building.
- Projects involving new construction of a building or an addition to a building.
A building project applying for a GELF energy loan must demonstrate that it will result in a reduction of energy consumption equal to the GELF savings goal, which differs based on project type. This reduction must be verified by an energy professional.
- For limited energy retrofits, there must be 25% less energy consumption from new equipment compared to old equipment predicted.
- For extensive energy retrofits, the energy conservation measures must be predicted to reduce total annual energy consumption of the building 25% from historical usage.
- For a gut rehab, predicted energy use 10% less than allowed under the applicable building code is required.
- For new construction, predicted energy use 15% less than allowed under the applicable building code is required.
A full list of eligible energy measures can be found in the GELF List of Energy Measures Spreadsheet. GELF is focused primarily on energy efficiency and conservation measures, but it may also provide financing for distributed generation such as solar and combined-heat-and-power systems when it is part of a larger energy conservation project.
Please review the program website and GELF Program Guidelines for further details.
Contact & resources
- Contact email
- PaGELF@reinvestment.com
- Additional resources
Please verify current program details with the administering agency before making any financial decisions.
