The administration of Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) announced Friday that the city’s Property Assessed Energy Act program is officially open for business — and Nikolaev’s soon-to-be-retrofitted gas station is its first client. The PACE program, which is tied to legislation the District approved in 2012, allows the city to finance energy upgrades through property tax bills.
“The solar-panel system always made financial sense, but the absence of financing was a big reason why I couldn’t do it before,” Nikolaev said. “It’s definitely saving me money, and it’s beautifying the station.”
This is the Bowser administration’s latest clean-energy announcement — a push city officials see as closely connected with the local economy.
Last week, officials announced that the city is receiving enough electricity from wind power to meet one-third of the local government’s electricity needs through a deal with the Spanish energy company Iberdrola Renewables that took effect Aug. 1.
The PACE program will allow commercial building owners in the city to avoid upfront costs and obtain relatively low-interest loans to retrofit their properties with energy-efficient amenities. Read more.