LoanSTAR Revolving Loan Program

October 14, 2024

Summary

The Texas LoanSTAR (Saving Taxes and Resources) low-interest revolving loan program finances energy-related cost reduction retrofits for state, public school, college, university, and non-profit hospital facilities. Borrowers repay loans through the stream of cost savings realized from their energy cost-reduction projects. The LoanSTAR Program Administrator should be contacted for information on current loan interest rates.

As of September 1, 2023, LoanSTAR has funded over 337 loans totaling over $600 million.

Eligible Projects

Guidelines for project eligibility, fund availability and project funding and repayment are set forth in Comptroller rules ( 34 Tex Admin. Code 19.41-45)

Process

Each April and October, the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) publishes a Notice of Loan Fund Availability and request for applications of LoanSTAR loans. The notice is published in the Texas Register, on the Comptroller’s website, and on the SECO Funding & Incentives webpage. Applications are scored by a review committee, with the highest scoring applicants receiving funding commitments first. Scoring is based largely on the following considerations.

Information provided in the application including the application and one of the following: Engineering Assessment Report / Utility Assessment Report, Preliminary Energy Assessment, or Project Assessment Commitment;
Location of proposed project; and
Public access to the projects’ energy savings information.

Selected institutions will be asked to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to complete and submit an Energy Assessment Report (EAR) or a Utility Assessment Report (UAR) within 120 days. With an executed MOU, SECO reserves funding for the institution.

SECO performs design review, design specification review, and on-site construction monitoring at 50% and 100% completion of each project phase. Repayment of the loans does not begin until after construction is 100% completed and it has been determined that the project was designed and constructed in accordance with the LoanSTAR Technical Guidelines.

More information, including project applications and a detailed program guidebook, are available on the program website above.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Financial Incentive
State:	Texas
Incentive Type:	Loan Program
Web Site:	https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/seco/funding/loanstar/
Administrator:	Comptroller of Public Accounts State Energy Conservation Office (SECO)
Start Date:	1989
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar - Passive Solar Water Heat Solar Space Heat Solar Photovoltaics Wind (All) Geothermal Heat Pumps Lighting Lighting Controls/Sensors Chillers Furnaces Boilers Heat pumps Air conditioners Heat recovery Programmable Thermostats Energy Mgmt. Systems/Building Controls Building Insulation Motors Motor VFDs Custom/Others pending approval Other EE Wind (Small)
Loan Term:	Interest rates are set with each Request for Application announcement. Loans are repaid through energy cost savings. Most projects have a composite payback of 10 years or less. Each energy cost reduction measure must pay for itself within the estimated useful life of that measure.

Authorities

Name:	10 Tex. Gov. Code § 2305.032
Date Enacted:	09/01/1993 (subsequently amended)

Name:	34 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.41 et seq.
Effective Date:	08/13/2002 (subsequently amended)

Contact

Name:	Eddy Trevino
Organization:	State Energy Conservation Office (SECO)
Address:	111 E. 17th Street Austin TX 78701
Phone:	(512) 463-1876
Email:	Eddy.trevino@cpa.state.tx.us

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.