Solar Loans: Should PV Be More Like Car Sales or Cable Television?

Energy Gang

Wood Mackenzie

Tech News, Environment, Sustainability, Innovation, Renewable Energy, Technology, Alternative Energy, Energy, News, Cleantech, Wind Energy, Business, Climate Change, Solar Energy

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 January 2015

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Last year, 200,000 residential solar systems were installed in the U.S. More than two-thirds of those systems were third-party financed through leases or power purchase agreements. But third-party financing is peaking. As solar costs come down, more consumers demand direct ownership of their own systems and installers look for simpler options, a growing number of lenders are coming into the U.S. market with loan products. Will they rival leases and power purchase agreements? Not in the short term. But they are becoming much more popular – sparking debate around their value for customers. This week, we’ll talk with Sungage Financial CEO Sara Ross, who will provide background on the evolution of solar loans and talk about the democratization of solar finance. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the State of the Union address and look at the surge in solar jobs outlined in the Solar Foundation’s solar census. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0	For the week of January 22nd, 2015, this is the Energy Gang from Green Tech Media.
0:13.4	From Washington, D.C. I'm Green Tech Media Senior Editor Stephen Lacy.
0:20.6	In this show, we will discuss a byproduct of the maturing in ever more competitive solar industry, solar loans.
0:27.0	Then President Obama gloated about the State of the Union's Energy Economy and his State of the Union address this week will comment
0:34.6	on his remarks.
0:36.6	Lastly, we'll take a look at where solar jobs are growing in the U.S. and compare that to
0:40.8	growth along the rest of the economy.
0:43.4	At the end of the show, we will of course tell you something you do not know.
0:46.8	With me in Washington, it's Catherine Hamilton.
0:49.2	She's a partner at 38 North Solutions and speaking of the State of the Union address Catherine I'm
0:54.1	assuming that's like your version of the Academy Awards in your household.
0:57.6	That is so sad but yes it's true we definitely every, and we, with bated breath and we listen to every single word.
1:07.0	Do you play so-too drinking games?
1:10.0	No, we're too old for that, but there are people certainly who do that.
1:14.0	In New York City, it's Clean Tech Investor, an entrepreneur Jager Shaw.
1:18.0	What's going on there in New York?
1:20.0	Hey, you know, in my house, we actually watched the State of the Union as well, but we had butter popcorn.
1:24.6	You got to have an alcoholic beverage with that as well.
1:27.0	Oh, yes, you do.
1:29.0	But that's just to get through 60 minutes of the president talking.
1:34.0	That's right. It's like a five minute speech and then, you know, 55 minutes of clapping.
1:40.0	Yeah, although, you know, it was funny about about how like I guess when he delivered that burn line within 45 seconds there was a
	...

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