US Power adds prepaid solar lease that restores tax-credit savings

US Power says it will offer Propel, a prepaid solar and battery program that uses the commercial clean electricity tax credit to lower upfront costs for California homeowners. The move gives buyers another ownership path as the residential solar tax credit has expired and battery-backed systems become more valuable under state rules.

Why it matters: - Propel is designed to pass part of the commercial Section 48E tax credit value to homeowners as a lower upfront price. - The structure gives California buyers another way to own solar and storage after the federal residential tax credit ended on Dec. 31, 2025. - Greentech Renewables says the program can reduce cash-purchase pricing by 25% to 40%.

What happened: - US Power announced it has been approved to offer Propel, a prepaid solar and battery program from SolSource Solutions. - TriBeam Financial’s Concert Finance program finances Propel, and Greentech Renewables distributes it. - The announcement came from Los Angeles on Oct. 15, 2026. - US Power is a factory-direct Qcells solar and roofing brokerage.

The details: - SolSource owns the solar and battery system for the first five years, which allows the project to claim the commercial Section 48E clean electricity credit where eligible. - Projects may also qualify for domestic content and energy community bonus credits. - Homeowners can prepay the discounted agreement in cash or with a fixed-payment loan through Concert Finance. - Medallion Bank, Member FDIC, makes the loans. - The program includes a $0-down option, a fixed monthly payment, no annual escalator, no dealer fees and no prepayment penalty. - Ownership is designed to transfer to the homeowner after year five, with the buyout already built into the Propel price, subject to agreement terms. - Enphase is the exclusive hardware provider, supplying microinverters and batteries. - Propel also includes a performance guarantee and maintenance coverage during the initial five-year period. - Propel installers report that systems with battery storage typically get the largest discounts. - US Power says the program is available across participating California utility areas. - Those service areas expanded in July 2026 to include LADWP and 16 other utility districts.

Between the lines: - The program is aimed at filling part of the gap left when homeowner-owned systems lost access to the residential tax credit. - California’s NEM 3.0 net billing rules have made battery storage more valuable, which could make a prepaid solar-and-storage structure more attractive than solar alone. - Because the commercial Section 48E credit is generally tied to systems placed in service by the end of 2027 under current federal law, the available window may narrow for homeowners who wait. - US Power is positioning Propel alongside its EnFin loan and lease, giving customers more financing choices rather than pushing one path. - Erik Sords, senior energy consultant at US Power, said Propel is the cleanest way for homeowners to get ownership of solar and batteries while receiving around a 30% discount on cash pricing. - Sords also said the program is not the right fit for someone who may sell a home in the next few years.

What's next: - US Power is encouraging interested California homeowners to review options early. - Homeowners can check eligibility and schedule a free consultation through US Power’s website. - Propel launched in February 2026 and was available through more than 300 independent installers by mid-2026, suggesting broader rollout could continue.

The bottom line: - US Power is betting that a prepaid structure tied to commercial tax credits can restore much of the value lost when the residential solar credit expired, especially for California buyers who want batteries and eventual ownership.