Platform for Financing and Connecting DIY Solar Projects

One of the biggest challenges in the solar market is the high cost of residential PV systems. The cost of silicon technologies has fallen dramatically, but the dependency and cost of technical expertise is still too high. To reduce these soft costs, there is a need to develop technologies that are not only easy to operate for consumers, but that also can be purchased “off-the-shelf” at reasonable prices. Assuming “DIY” kits will emerge to connect the hardware components of a solar array, there will still be key uncertainties such as the access to financing and the processing of regulatory incentive paperwork. A web based tool or app that allows customers, based on zip code determination of the utility, to view available loan and power purchase agreement (PPA) pricing terms would be a step towards solving this issue. This would also provide incentives towards creating a more competitive financing market where consumers themselves can hand-pick the agreements and pricing structures that best fit their consumption patterns.