Participate Energy's Prepaid Lease delivers a 30% upfront discount through the commercial ITC, then finances through a Credit Human 20-year loan at $0 down. No FICO minimum. No UCC lien. Tesla Powerwall 3 included. Fixed payment, no escalation.
The federal residential solar tax credit expired at the end of 2025. Participate Energy found a way for homeowners to still capture that credit value without claiming it themselves.
Participate Energy temporarily owns the solar system. This commercial structure qualifies the project for the federal ITC, which remains available to commercial owners even after the residential credit expired in 2025.
The ITC value is passed to you as a 30% reduction off the starting system price. This lower number is what gets financed. You never borrow against the full retail price.
A Credit Human 20-year loan covers the discounted amount at $0 down. The result is a fixed monthly payment with no escalation for the full 20-year term. No FICO score required to enter the Participate lease agreement.
Once the IRS's 5-year commercial ownership requirement is satisfied, you can purchase the system at fair market value starting at Year 6. You are not required to buy. The system continues operating under the lease if you prefer.
Most solar financing products require a credit check, a lien on your home, or dealer fees buried in the loan. Participate Energy's structure removes all three.
Participate Energy requires no credit underwriting. This opens solar to homeowners who do not qualify for traditional solar loans or Propel's 660 FICO minimum. The Credit Human loan is part of the Participate program structure, not a separate credit application.
Participate does not file a UCC-1 financing statement on the solar equipment. Your title stays clean, which simplifies selling or refinancing compared to most solar loan products.
The Credit Human loan payment is fixed for the full 20-year term. No annual rate increases. No balloon payment. While the utility bill your neighbors pay keeps rising, yours stays the same.
You can buy the system starting at Year 6 at fair market value. This is a real path to ownership, not a theoretical one buried in fine print. You are not required to buy if you prefer to continue the lease.
Because there is no UCC filing, the home sale process is cleaner than with a Propel or traditional solar loan. The Credit Human loan can be assumed by the buyer or paid off at closing with no prepayment penalty.
Participate's battery-inclusive option pairs the solar system with a Tesla Powerwall 3, which integrates the solar inverter and battery in one unit. In California under NEM 3.0, battery storage is the most effective way to maximize the value of every solar kilowatt-hour.
These screenshots are pulled directly from a real Participate proposal run on a Mission Viejo, CA home with an SCE utility bill of $426/mo. This is what your advisor presents before you make any decision.
Satellite aerial of the actual home with panel placement. 18 Qcells 410W panels, Tesla Powerwall 3 + DCX expansion unit (27 kWh total storage).
Starting price $46,667. Participate discount applied: $15,927 (34.1%). Amount financed via Credit Human: $30,740 at 8.99% APR over 20 years.
$426/mo utility replaced by $292/mo fixed Participate payment + $28 residual grid charge = $320/mo total. Saves $106/mo from day one.
Utility projected at $0.51/kWh escalating 4%/yr. The Participate payment stays fixed. Gap widens every year. Total projected savings: $110,412.
All figures from an actual Participate Energy proposal. 25-year savings are estimates based on $0.51/kWh SCE rate with 4% annual escalation. Actual results vary by usage, system performance, and future utility rates.
Both products use the commercial ITC to deliver a real upfront discount. The right choice depends on your zip code and credit situation. See the full program comparison for complete details.
| Feature | Participate Energy | Propel by Concert Finance |
|---|---|---|
| Financing structure | Prepaid lease + Credit Human 20-yr loan, $0 down | Prepaid ESA + Concert Finance 25-yr loan, $0 down |
| Upfront discount | 30% standard in all markets | 39.2% in Energy Community zip codes / 30% standard |
| Monthly payment | Fixed via Credit Human loan (e.g. $292/mo on real proposal) | Fixed via Concert Finance loan (e.g. $279/mo on same home) |
| Loan term | 20 years | 25 years |
| APR (real proposal) | 8.99% | 8.49% (with ACH autopay) |
| Credit check required | None | Yes, 660 FICO minimum |
| UCC filing on equipment | None per program structure | UCC-1 on equipment (surfaces on title at sale) |
| Battery hardware | Tesla Powerwall 3 | Enphase IQ Battery 5P |
| Ownership pathway | Purchase option at Year 6 (fair market value) | Auto-transfer at Year 5, no extra cost |
| 25-yr savings (same Mission Viejo home) | $110,412 (winner on this non-EC address) | $100,987 |
| Best for | Non-EC zip codes, no credit check needed, Tesla Powerwall preference | Energy Community zip codes (39.2% discount wins) |
We run both Participate and Propel on your address, your utility rate, and your roof. You see both sets of numbers before making any decision.