| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Energy Efficiency Incentive |
| 3 | Program; creating the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program; |
| 4 | requiring the Department of Community Affairs to develop a |
| 5 | matching grant program for the purchase of certain water |
| 6 | heaters and a low-interest loan program for the purchase |
| 7 | of certain energy-generation equipment; providing an |
| 8 | effective date. |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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| 12 | Section 1. Energy Efficiency Incentive Program.-- |
| 13 | (1) MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.--The Department of Community |
| 14 | Affairs shall develop a matching grant program for local |
| 15 | governments, private utilities, and public utilities that |
| 16 | provide grants to residential consumers for the purchase of |
| 17 | solar water heaters or tankless water heaters. Eligible grants |
| 18 | shall be in an amount of up to 50 percent of the cost of the |
| 19 | water heater and shall not exceed $500. The program may match up |
| 20 | to one-half the amount of each eligible grant. |
| 21 | (2) LOW-INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM.--The Department of |
| 22 | Community Affairs shall develop a low-interest loan program for |
| 23 | residential and business consumers who purchase solar panels for |
| 24 | electricity generation. The interest rate and term for the loans |
| 25 | shall be set by the department, with a maximum interest rate of |
| 26 | 2 percent below the average 30-year home mortgage interest rate |
| 27 | and a term not to exceed 30 years. The program may be |
| 28 | administered directly by and through private and public |
| 29 | utilities. |
| 30 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |