Rural Energy Savings Program Included in Farm Bill

The Agricultural Act of 2014 includes language to create the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) within USDA's Rural Utility Service. RESP will provide zero percent loans to rural electric cooperatives for the purpose of relending the funds to co-op members to make energy efficiency improvements. The agreement provides mandatory funding for RESP at $75 million per year over five years. RESP will support "on-bill financing" programs, in which energy efficiency loans are repaid through the beneficiary’s electric bills. EESI has worked closely with South Carolina's co-ops for several years on their successful on-bill financing pilot, which reduced participants' average electricity use by 34 percent while also providing a net financial benefit.