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Your Zip Code May Qualify for a
40% Solar Discount — No Tax Liability Required

The IRS Energy Community designation unlocks an extra 10% clean energy bonus for homeowners in qualifying zip codes. Through Propel Financing by Concert Finance, that bonus gets passed directly to you as an upfront discount at signing, regardless of your personal tax situation.

40%
Upfront discount in EC zip codes
30%
Standard Propel discount elsewhere
$0
Tax liability required from you
Yr 5
Full ownership transfers to you
★
Millions of US homeowners live in qualifying Energy Community zip codes right now.

Former fossil fuel communities, coal regions, and brownfield areas across the country carry IRS Energy Community designation. If your zip qualifies, your Propel discount goes from 30% to 40%, applied at signing before a single payment is made.

What Is an IRS Energy Community?

A Tax Code Category That Puts More Money Back in Your Pocket

The IRS Energy Community designation was established under the Inflation Reduction Act to direct clean energy investment toward areas historically dependent on fossil fuel industries. It has nothing to do with a community program, a sign-up list, or a utility offer. It is a federal tax code classification tied directly to your zip code or census tract.

Qualifying areas span the entire country. Former coal towns in Appalachia, oil and gas communities in the Southwest and Gulf Coast, industrial brownfield zones in the Midwest and Northeast, agricultural regions with legacy fossil fuel ties, and dozens of other community types carry this designation. If your area has a history with fossil fuel employment or energy transition, there is a real chance your zip code qualifies.

Normally, this bonus applies only to commercial entities claiming the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) on clean energy property. Individual homeowners cannot claim it directly. But through Propel Financing, the structure changes entirely.

Think of it as a tax benefit that was always available, just reserved for a different type of taxpayer. Propel is the bridge that makes it yours.

The Propel Mechanism

How a Commercial Tax Credit Becomes Your Upfront Discount

Most homeowners have heard the pitch before: go solar, claim the 30% federal tax credit, reduce your install cost. The catch? You need significant personal tax liability to use it. Propel is structured to solve exactly that problem.

1

Concert Finance Takes Commercial Ownership (Years 1 to 5)

At signing, Concert Finance — the entity behind Propel — temporarily holds commercial ownership of your solar system. This is called an Energy Service Agreement (ESA). You use the system on day one. Concert Finance holds the title for tax purposes during the first five years.

2

They Claim the Commercial Credits and Depreciation

As a commercial owner of clean energy property, Concert Finance can claim the full Investment Tax Credit plus bonus accelerated depreciation. In an Energy Community zip code, that credit is 40%. Non-qualifying areas receive the standard 30%. They also capture MACRS accelerated depreciation, which amplifies the total savings further.

3

The Savings Are Passed to You at Signing as a Discount

Rather than pocketing those tax benefits, Concert Finance passes the value directly back to you. The result: your gross system cost drops by 30% or 40% before your 25-year fixed loan is calculated. That is not a rebate that arrives later. The discount is built into your financed amount from day one.

4

25-Year Fixed Loan, Zero Escalation

Once the discount is applied, the remaining balance is financed at 7.79% APR over 25 years with a fixed payment. No dealer fees. No escalating payments. No prepayment penalty. You are paying off a system that already had 30 to 40% shaved off its cost before the loan was written.

5

Full Ownership Transfers to You at Year 5

At the end of year five, title transfers from Concert Finance to you at no additional cost. From that point forward, you own the solar panels, the Enphase battery, and every kilowatt-hour they generate outright. You have been paying down the loan since day one — the ownership transfer is simply the legal formality completing what was always the plan.

6

Your Tax Situation Has Nothing to Do With It

This is the part that surprises most people. The residential ITC expired in late 2025, and even when it existed, you needed meaningful federal tax liability to use it. Propel bypasses that requirement entirely. Concert Finance claims the commercial version — your W-2, your refund status, your tax bracket are irrelevant to the discount you receive.

EC vs. Non-EC Zip Codes

30% vs. 40%: What the Extra 10% Actually Means in Dollars

On a typical residential solar install, a 10-point difference in the upfront discount translates to thousands of dollars off the financed amount and a meaningfully lower monthly payment. The system size is the same. The hardware is the same. The only difference is your zip code.

DetailStandard Propel (30% Discount)Energy Community Propel (40% Discount)
Example gross system cost$60,000$60,000
Propel discount applied at signing$18,000 (30%)$24,000 (40%)
Financed amount$42,000$36,000
Estimated monthly payment (25yr / 7.79%)~$318/mo~$273/mo
Payment escalationNoneNone
Tax liability required from homeownerNoneNone
Ownership transferYear 5Year 5
HardwareQcells 410W panels + Enphase IQ8HC microinverters + Enphase battery

Monthly payment estimates are illustrative based on a $60,000 gross system cost. Your actual system size, cost, and payment will vary based on your home's energy consumption, roof, and utility provider. Discount eligibility is confirmed at proposal stage.

Who Qualifies Nationwide

What Types of Communities Carry Energy Community Designation?

The IRS draws from three main categories to define Energy Community areas. Thousands of zip codes and census tracts across the US qualify under one or more of them. Your address is confirmed at the proposal stage.

Fossil Fuel Employment Communities
40% ELIGIBLE TYPE

Areas where a meaningful share of local employment or tax revenue has historically come from coal, oil, or natural gas extraction, processing, or pipeline operations. This covers a wide swath of states from Appalachia to the Gulf Coast to the Mountain West.

Coal Closure Communities
40% ELIGIBLE TYPE

Zip codes or census tracts that include, or are adjacent to, a coal mine or coal-fired power plant that has closed or significantly curtailed operations. These tend to be concentrated in West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and parts of the Midwest.

Brownfield Sites
40% ELIGIBLE TYPE

Census tracts containing a brownfield site, defined as real property where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by contamination from prior industrial use. These exist in virtually every state, including many suburban and semi-rural areas.

California Central Valley
40% ELIGIBLE

Large portions of Kern, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties qualify due to historical fossil fuel employment. Combined with California's high utility rates, the 40% discount produces some of the most compelling Propel numbers in the country.

Texas, Oklahoma, and Gulf States
40% ELIGIBLE

Major oil and gas employment regions across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and surrounding states contain significant Energy Community coverage. Many homeowners in these areas qualify without realizing it.

All Other Qualifying Zip Codes
CHECK YOUR ZIP

Homeowners outside the regions above still receive the standard 30% Propel discount with no tax liability required and the same 25-year fixed structure. Your zip will be confirmed at proposal. If you qualify for 40%, it is applied automatically.

IRS Energy Community bonus tax credit map showing qualifying zip codes across the United States
IRS Energy Community Designation Map — qualifying zip codes and census tracts across the US eligible for the 10% bonus adder. Explore the full interactive map →

Energy Community maps are maintained by the IRS and Treasury and updated annually. The fastest way to confirm your address is to run a Propel proposal. We check your zip automatically and apply the higher discount where eligible.

Why This Matters Right Now

The Residential Tax Credit Is Gone. Propel Is Not.

The federal residential solar Investment Tax Credit expired in late 2025. For homeowners who have been waiting to go solar until they had enough tax liability, or who were told by other companies to wait for the credit, that window has closed. Propel operates on commercial tax law, which remains intact.

✖ The Old Reality

You Needed Tax Liability to Get the Solar Discount

The residential ITC required you to owe at least 30% of your system cost in federal taxes. Retirees, homeowners with low taxable income, or anyone who got large refunds could not fully use it. Some companies offered ITC-bridge loans as workarounds, which added cost and complexity.

✔ The Propel Reality

Your Tax Situation Is Completely Irrelevant

Propel's commercial ownership structure means Concert Finance claims the credit, not you. Your W-2, your tax bracket, whether you get a refund or owe money, none of it affects your discount. A retired homeowner on a fixed income qualifies for the exact same discount as a high-earning household. The discount is structural, not conditional on your personal tax situation.

✖ What You Might Have Heard

"The Solar Tax Credit Is Gone So Solar Doesn't Make Sense"

This is the most common piece of misinformation circulating right now. Solar companies and comparison sites that rely on the residential ITC as their primary financing angle are struggling to compete. But Propel never depended on the residential credit in the first place.

✔ The Accurate Picture

Commercial Credits Are Still Intact, and Propel Still Works

The commercial ITC, bonus depreciation, and Energy Community adder are alive and functioning. Propel was designed specifically around this commercial structure from the start. The expiration of the residential credit actually widened Propel's advantage over traditional financing models that depended on it.

Energy Community Proposals in Practice

What 40% Off Looks Like on Real Homeowner Bills

The two homeowners below are in IRS-designated Energy Community zip codes in California. Both received the 40% Propel discount applied before financing. These are actual proposals with actual numbers, shown as real examples of what the EC bonus produces.

Kernville, CA Homeowner
11.07 kW · 27 Panels · 99% Energy Offset · SCE · Energy Community
Utility bill today
$443/mo
Rising ~6%/yr
Propel payment
$271/mo
Fixed — never changes
HardwareQcells 410W + Enphase IQ8HC
Gross system cost$58,219
Propel discount (40% EC)-$22,827
Financed amount$35,392
Day-1 monthly savings$172/mo
$146,110
Estimated 25-year net savings
Ojai, CA Homeowner
12.3 kW · 30 Panels · 98% Energy Offset · SCE · Energy Community
Utility bill today
$500/mo
Rising ~6%/yr
Propel payment
$274/mo
Fixed — never changes
HardwareQcells 410W + Enphase IQ8HC
Gross system cost$58,862
Propel discount (40% EC)-$23,059
Financed amount$35,803
Day-1 monthly savings$226/mo
$194,217
Estimated 25-year net savings
See all four real Propel proposals → How Propel proposals are built →
Common Questions

Energy Community + Propel: Frequently Asked Questions

The most common questions we get from homeowners in qualifying areas.

No. Energy Community status is a federal designation tied to your zip code. You do not apply, register, or sign up for anything. When we build your Propel proposal, we confirm your address against the current IRS Energy Community map and apply the correct discount automatically. If your zip qualifies, you get 40%. If it does not, you get the standard 30%.
The residential Investment Tax Credit expired in late 2025. Propel was never based on the residential credit. Concert Finance claims the commercial ITC and accelerated depreciation, both of which remain available under current tax law. The expiration of the residential credit does not change how Propel works or what discount you receive.
Yes. This is one of the most important things to understand about Propel. The discount comes from commercial tax credits claimed by Concert Finance, not from your personal tax return. Retirees, self-employed homeowners, people who receive refunds every April — your personal tax situation has no bearing on the discount you receive at signing.
During years one through five, Concert Finance holds title to the solar panels and battery for tax purposes only. You use the system as if you own it from day one. You are making loan payments and building equity. At the end of year five, title transfers to you at no additional cost. The commercial ownership period is the mechanism that allows the credit to be claimed — it is temporary and contractually defined.
A lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) keeps the solar company as permanent owner of the panels. You pay to use their equipment indefinitely. With Propel, the ownership transfer at year five is guaranteed in the contract. You are not renting — you are financing a purchase with a commercial-entity bridge during the credit period. Additionally, Propel has no payment escalators. Many PPAs and leases include 2 to 3% annual payment increases that significantly erode your long-term savings.
Propel by Concert Finance is currently available across most of the US through the Powur installer network, with some geographic limitations. LADWP service territory in California is currently excluded. Coverage expands regularly, so the best way to confirm availability in your area is to run a proposal. If Propel is not yet available where you are, we can discuss alternative financing options.
Yes. Propel has no prepayment penalty. You can also request up to three reamortizations over the life of the loan if your financial situation changes. The 25-year term is the fixed structure if you carry it to maturity, but early payoff is an option.

Find Out If Your Zip Code Qualifies for 40%

We will confirm your Energy Community status and build a Propel proposal specific to your home, roof, and utility bill. Free, no credit check, no door-knock follow-up.

Takes 2 minutes · No credit check · No obligation