Resource Library
For a deeper dive into the world of green banks, the library below provides a wealth of information. Green banks are gaining recognition as a policy tool at the state level, the US federal level, and around the world.
Introductory
Materials
The Case for a National Green Bank
This slide deck outlines the national strategy for creating a national green bank that would increase total private investments while directing resources to frontline communities.
Green Banks & Catalytic Blended Finance
This slide deck explains how green banks provide catalytic finance for rapid decarbonization with a focus on underserved communities. April 2022.
Green Banks in the United States: 2022 Annual Industry Report
This report, the annual report of the American Green Bank Consortium, provides a broad overview of new transactions undertaken by Green Banks across the country, and new investment trends and technologies being deployed.
Building a Green Bank Finance Business in Your Geography to Drive Clean Energy Investment
This brief slide deck takes a practical look at what it takes to establish a green bank in a new US geography, and the questions that should be asked during the planning and design process. April 2019.
Market Insight: The Nonprofit Model for Green Bank Development
This memo provides insight into a current market trend in Green Bank development: the increasing use of the nonprofit model for Green Bank formation. This guide is intended to serve as a starting point for policymakers and other stakeholders interested in exploring the nonprofit Green Bank model in their geographies. January 2019.
Program-Related Investments: Alternative Sources of Green Bank Investment Capital in the United States
Drawing on conversations with foundations and selected case studies of existing green bank PRIs among Green Bank Network (GBN) members, this paper aims to highlight ways catalyze greater climate-related investment through green banks, and covers examples of green banks acting as effective and capable intermediaries of PRI capital. February 2019.
U.S. Federal
Legislation
National Climate Bank Act of 2019: Legislation Summary
This document briefly summarizes the National Climate Bank Act of 2019, introduced July 8 by US Senators Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen, Brian Schatz, and Richard Blumenthal. The bill establishes a National Climate Bank to be capitalized with $35 billion. July 2019.
New Polling: Widespread Support for National Climate Bank
Results from a new poll of eligible voters has found that a majority of all voters support the National Climate Bank, including majorities of Democrats and Independents, as well as a plurality of Republicans. August 2019.
Mobilizing $1 Trillion Towards Climate Action: An Analysis of the National Climate Bank
This memo explores the financial model of the Climate Bank, and reviews comparable institutions for perspective on the amplification of impact that the Climate Bank could achieve using similar techniques. It finds that a National Climate Bank capitalized with $35 billion could mobilize up to $1 trillion in public and private investment over its 30-year charter. September 2019.
Investing Across Sectors to Reduce Emissions: An Analysis of the National Climate Bank
This paper makes an initial exploration of sectors in which a National Climate Bank could invest and the types of projects which it could finance. Taken together, the Climate Bank’s investments could have significant impact towards economy-wide decarbonization. September 2019.
Supporting State and Local Green Banks: An Analysis of the National Climate Bank
The National Climate Bank is empowered to support the growth and investment activity of state and local Green Banks across the United States. This memo describes the way the Climate Bank and sub-national Green Banks would be able work together, how capital could flow, and why national and sub-national“layers”of Green Banks both provide distinct value. September 2019.
National Climate Bank: Investing to Win the War Against Climate Change
This brief CGC slide deck provides an overview of the National Climate Bank’s design and potential impact. November 2019.
State-Based Materials
Connecticut
National Climate Bank Act of 2019: Legislation Summary
This document briefly summarizes the National Climate Bank Act of 2019, introduced July 8 by US Senators Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen, Brian Schatz, and Richard Blumenthal. The bill establishes a National Climate Bank to be capitalized with $35 billion. July 2019.
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Green Bank Report
This report, prepared by CGC for the District Department of Energy and Environment, studies the DC energy market and makes recommendations regarding the creation and design of a DC green bank. April 2017.
District of Columbia Green Bank Recommendations
This brief slide deck summarizes the recommendations from the full report, including products like on-bill financing and whole-home retrofits. Findings suggest that a DC green bank capitalized with at least $50 million in public funds, could leverage at least $250 million in private capital. February 2017.
Maryland
Growing the Maryland Clean Energy Economy: Green Bank Study
This report prepared by CGC for the Maryland Clean Energy Center, recommends that Maryland strategically leverage a percentage of the $449 M in public funds that currently invests mostly in grants. The study recognizes MCEC as well-positioned to continue serving as the green bank it has become with current financial product offerings in place. December 2015.
Montgomery County Green Bank: Market Assessment
This slide deck reviews the Montgomery County energy landscape, identifies market gaps, and makes recommendations towards the design of a Montgomery County Green Bank. January 2016.
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Green Bank Opportunity and Business Plan
This report aims to determine the need, viability and pathway for a Green Bank to be formed in Massachusetts. It is meant to elucidate clean energy market conditions in Massachusetts, specifically with regard to financing clean energy projects, and to identify various market gaps and needs that could be filled with a Green Bank. This report is also meant to provide clarity to the many market actors and stakeholders in Massachusetts that are interested in the creation of a Massachusetts Green Bank. October 2017.
Nevada
Nevada Clean Energy Market and Policy Review
Part of a series of deliverables studying the potential for a Nevada green bank. Reviews the Nevada energy market current policy landscape. April 2016.
Nevada Clean Energy Market Size
Part of a series of deliverables studying the potential for a Nevada green bank. Reviews the size of the addressable market that a green bank could target. April 2016.
Recommended Green Bank Solutions
Part of a series of deliverables studying the potential for a Nevada green bank. Recommends the financial products that a green bank could offer to address market gaps in Nevada. May 2016.
Green Bank Forms & Next Steps
Part of a series of deliverables studying the potential for a Nevada green bank. Reviews the potential form and structure of a Nevada green bank. June 2016.
Nevada Green Bank Study
Part of a series of deliverables studying the potential for a Nevada green bank. Final report to the Nevada Interim Legislative Committee on Energy provides an in-depth summary of the prior deliverables and recommendations for the design and function of a Nevada Green Bank. June 2016.
New Jersey
Written Comments to New Jersey Energy Master Plan Committee
These comments to the New Jersey Energy Master Plan Committee in support of the formation of a New Jersey Green Bank as part of the state’s draft Energy Master Plan. August 2019.
New Jersey
Written Comments to New Jersey Energy Master Plan Committee
These comments to the New Jersey Energy Master Plan Committee in support of the formation of a New Jersey Green Bank as part of the state’s draft Energy Master Plan. August 2019.
New York
Review of New York State Electric Vehicle Charging Station Market and Policy, Finance, and Market Development Solutions
Report prepared for NYSERDA finds that private and public financing are essential for accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations, and more robust electric vehicle (EV) market growth can be achieved if charging station financing solutions are combined with measures taken by New York State (NYS) to simultaneously provide financial support for EV adoption. October 2015.
New York State Green Bank Business Plan Development
This slide deck, prepared Booz&Co for NYSERDA, incorporates information from CGC. It examines market gaps and makes design recommendations for the creation of a New York green bank. September 2013.
North Carolina
Written Comments in Response to the Draft North Carolina Clean Energy Plan
These written comments submitted to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality support the inclusion of a green bank in North Carolina’s draft Clean Energy Plan. September 2019.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Clean Energy Market Report
The Nature Conservancy has partnered with the Coalition for Green Capital to create comprehensive report on the state’s clean energy program and policy landscape and the market potential for various clean energy technologies, paying particular attention to the role of financing programs. This report includes information on institutions, programs, policies, laws and incentives that shape the clean energy market in Pennsylvania. This report also includes information on the clean energy market activity to date, as well as various estimates of clean energy market potential drawn from a variety of sources. February 2017.
Pennsylvania Energy Investment Partnership Report
This second report, prepared in partnership with the Nature Conservancy, provides specific recommendations for financing structures, institutions, products, and activities in Pennsylvania that could help fill market gaps and spur more clean energy deployment. July 2017.
Multi-State
TCI Comments: Framework for a Draft Regional Policy Proposal
A group of American Green Bank Consortium members representing Northeast and Mid-Atlantic green banks submitted joint comments to the public process of the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI). The American Green Bank Consortium is a project of CGC.
International
Materials
National Green Banks in Developing Countries: Scaling Up Private Finance to Achieve Paris Climate Goals
CGC conducted this scoping effort to identify how the Green Bank model could be implemented in emerging markets to complement existing efforts to meet Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and achieve national climate goals. To inform the work, CGC conducted a series of interviews and a stakeholder work-session with more than 100 representatives of development financial institutions, national development banks, developing country representatives, existing Green Banks, capital providers, climate funds, thought leaders, government officials and others from the climate finance community. July 2017.
Green & Resilience Banks: How the Green Investment Bank Model Can Play a Role in Scaling Up Climate Finance in Emerging Markets
This policy working paper explores the utility of “Green Investment Banks” (GIBs) to help meet the financing needs to address climate change, support countries’ Paris Commitments, and meet the challenges specific to scaling investment in low carbon and climate resilient (LCR) infrastructure in emerging and developing economies. November 2016.
Green Bank Financing to Accelerate Clean Energy Deployment in Canada through the Canadian Infrastructure Bank
This report, prepared by Evergreen & CGC for Infrastructure Canada, Ministry of Finance, Innovation Canada & Natural Resources Canada, finds that the creation of a Green Bank division within the new Canadian Infrastructure Bank can fill an institutional and finance gap in Canada and spark greater private investment in clean energy infrastructure. March 2017.
Climate Finance Facilities & Green Banks: How dedicated institutions can drive low-carbon investment
This slide deck provides a Chinese-language overview of green banks. 2018.
External Resources
Green Investment Banks: Scaling up Private Investment in Low-carbon, Climate-resilient Infrastructure
This OECD report provides a comprehensive study of publically capitalised green investment banks (GIBs), analysing the rationales, mandates and financing activities of this relatively new category of public financial institution that aims to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. 2016.
State Clean Energy Finance Banks: New Investment Facilities for Clean Energy Deployment
This early report on green bank design from the Brookings-Rockefeller Project on State and Metropolitan Innovation examines options for green bank design and opportunities for state leadership in the face of federal gridlock. September 2012.
Energy Investment Partnerships: How State and Local Governments are Engaging Private Capital to Drive Clean Energy Investment
This US Department of Energy report highlights partnerships and programs operating in eight states, with details about the creation, purpose, structure, and financing terms. To contextualize these descriptions, the report also provides background information about development finance tools and programs. December 2015.
Beyond Financing: A Guide to Green Bank Design in the Southeast
This primer outlines the design elements of a green bank and explores how a green bank might leverage limited public funds in the Southeast and create a robust market for clean energy investment. It concludes that green banks have proved to be catalytic in the Northeast and West and could be what is needed to jump-start investment in the Southeast. September 2018.