Three utilities — Hydro One, Enersource Hydro Mississauga and Hydro One Brampton — have joined together to offer interest-free loans to help residential electricity customers reduce their carbon footprints.

Energy Minister Gerry Phillips joined representatives from the three utilities outside one of the greenest houses in the GTA — the Port Credit home of former Olympic cyclist Jocelyn Lovell and his wife Neil.

The couple built the brick bungalow that backs onto the waterfront four years ago with energy conservation and the environment in mind. It includes something as simple as a backyard clothesline to rooftop solar panels that generate electricity to power the house plus heat the water.

Phillips said Ontarians are already showing their commitment to home energy conservation.

“Almost 50,000 homeowners have received rebates through our Home Energy Audit program as they look to make their homes more efficient. This innovative program will put more clean, green power options within financial reach of homeowners,” said Phillips.

“We use electricity but we also have electricity going to the grid from what we produce on our solar panels. With the money we get back from that it pays for what we use,” explained Neil Lovell, standing in the backyard of her home.

Craig Fleming, president and CEO of Enersource encourages more people to install renewable electricity generation technologies even though it means his utility will make less money.

“The Lovells have been a long time friend of Enersource, a valued customer and actually a net zero user of power. They actually bid into the grid,” Fleming said.

He admits that the technologies are expensive right now but he’s hoping the price will become more affordable as more people install the systems.

The pilot program offers interest free loans of between $2,000 and $50,000. You have up to 10 years to pay the money back. The money can be used to purchase solar water heating, solar photovoltaic (electricity), geothermal and small wind turbine technologies. To qualify installation must take place by February 15, 2009.

The PowerHouse program is being offered to more than 500,000 residential customers of Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Hydro One and Hydro One Brampton living in Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon, King Township, East Gwillimbury, Georgina or Whitchurch-Stouffville.