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The Economics of Energy Savings Performance Contracts

Journal Article · · ASHRAE Transactions
OSTI ID:1019325

Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) allow governments to tap private capital to finance energy efficiency improvements; the debt service on the financing is paid from the energy and energy-related cost savings generated by the efficiency projects themselves. Since 1998 about 43% of the funding for energy efficiency upgrades in US federal buildings has come from ESPC and other similar programs. This paper describes the balance sheet for an ESPC project as currently implemented by US federal agencies, and shows how parameters such as the cost of the project, the interest rate for financing, level of savings, energy escalation rates, and others combine to determine the project cash flow. The paper also examines the sensitivity of project economics to changes in each of these parameters.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Sponsoring Organization:
EE USDOE - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1019325
Journal Information:
ASHRAE Transactions, Journal Name: ASHRAE Transactions Journal Issue: 116 Vol. 116; ISSN 0001-2505; ISSN ASHTAG
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English