The focus of Monday’s Warren County Commissioners work session was the possibility of bringing another tool into an economic development toolbox.

That tool is C-PACE — commercial property assessed clean energy. It’s a way for owners to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects “by placing a special voluntary assessment on the property that repays the costs of the upgrades,” according to the Sustainable Energy Fund.

Shannon Crooker, director of program related investments with SEF, which manages the C-PACE program in Pennsylvania, explained that the investments are tied directly to the property rather than as a lien.

“We need the county buy-in,” she said. “Since it (payment on the loan) is collected like a tax, we need someone managing the taxes to disperse the funds and collect the payment.”

A borrower upgrading their facilities in this program would actually remit their payments through the county tax process. The county would then be a pass-through and send the money to the lending institution that finances the improvements.

Commissioner Ben Kafferlin said the city approached the county about a month ago about the program

“This is about energy efficiency,” City Planner Vince DeJoy said, “finding a way to finance these projects.”

DeJoy said the city views it as “another economic development tool as we’re trying to reimagine and redevelop” downtown buildings.

Crooker said the program has been authorized in 16 Pennsylvania counties.

She said it can also be used for process operation issues and has been used in agriculture where farms seek to develop more efficient operations.

Kafferlin said he can see a few businesses in Warren County potentially taking advantage of this offering.

“I definitely support it,” Commissioner Jeffe Eggleston said. “Worst-case, no one applies for it.”

Crooker said the projects take a long time to develop and that it took two years for a project to come on the table in one Pennsylvania county.

Eggleston said many might not be aware of the option the program presents.

While there was broad consensus to move ahead, the offering can’t be implemented overnight.

The county would have to take action to adopt the program here which would also require notification to the county’s municipalities.