Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing has been expanded to support water conservation projects alongside energy efficiency improvements. While specific case studies focused solely on water conservation are not widespread, several examples demonstrate how C-PACE can be applied to enhance water efficiency:
1. Water Efficiency Projects
- Turf Conversions and Evaporative Cooling Systems Replacement: C-PACE financing can support projects like turf conversions to drip irrigation systems and replacing evaporative cooling systems with more water-efficient technologies. These projects can significantly reduce water consumption and maintenance costs, with savings often covering a substantial portion of the loan repayment.
2. General C-PACE Water Conservation Measures
- C-PACE can fund water-efficient fixtures, such as low-flow plumbing, as part of broader energy efficiency upgrades. For example, projects like the J-centrel in Philadelphia, which included low-flow plumbing among other energy-saving measures.
3. Future Potential for Community-Scale Water Conservation
- Cities like Milwaukee are using C-PACE to fund broader infrastructure projects, including stormwater management, which can indirectly support water conservation by improving the handling and detention of stormwater runoff. This approach benefits local economies and enhances environmental conservation efforts.
Conclusion
While direct examples of C-PACE projects focused exclusively on water conservation are less documented compared to energy efficiency, the expansion of C-PACE to include water projects indicates a growing potential for support in this area.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-some-examples-of-successful-c-pace-projects-for-water-conservation/
