Help My House Loan Pilot Program

The Help My House (HMH) Loan Pilot Program tested the use of on-bill financing (OBF) to implement energy efficiency measures in 125 homes served by South Carolina's electric cooperatives. The program demonstrated that OBF can significantly reduce residential electricity use and costs while maintaining high member satisfaction, serving as a cost-effective alternative to new power generation investment.

• The HMH pilot program achieved significant energy reductions across 125 homes (53 single family detached and 72 manufactured homes) between June 2011 and February 2012. On average, participating homes reduced their electricity use by 34 percent, which equates to nearly 11,000 kWh per year.
• The program utilized on-bill financing (OBF) with 10-year loans at a 2.5 percent interest rate, with an average loan amount of $7,684. The average simple payback period was 6.6 years, which is shorter than the loan term, allowing the average participant to retain $288 per year after making loan payments.
• The most common energy efficiency measures implemented were air sealing (99%), duct leakage reduction (98%), and attic insulation (91%). Modeling indicated that HVAC upgrades—including duct sealing and the replacement of older heat pumps and electric furnaces—were responsible for the majority of the energy savings.
• The pilot resulted in substantial coincident peak demand savings, which are critical for the wholesale power provider, Central Electric Power Cooperative. Savings reached 27 percent during the summer peak in June and 46 percent during the winter peak in January.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (n.d.). Help My House Loan Pilot Program. https://www.eesi.org/files/072413_Help_My_House_Brochure.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Help My House Loan Pilot Program. n.d. https://www.eesi.org/files/072413_Help_My_House_Brochure.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Help My House Loan Pilot Program |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/072413_Help_My_House_Brochure.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitutendhelp, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Help My House Loan Pilot Program}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/072413_Help_My_House_Brochure.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }