New Solar Financing Option
Pay Once for Solar. No Monthly Bill, No Lien, No Credit Check.
CellSun has been accepted as an installer for the Participate Energy Prepaid Lease, a way for Connecticut homeowners to put solar, solar plus battery, or a battery alone on the house for a single upfront price well below the equivalent cash cost.
What Changed, and Why This Matters in Connecticut
The individual federal tax credit for residential solar and battery systems expired at the end of 2025. For a homeowner paying cash, that removed roughly 30% of the value that used to come back after filing. A lot of Connecticut families read that as the end of affordable solar.
Participate Energy built the Prepaid Lease in response. The tax benefits are captured at the project level rather than on your personal return, and the value is handed back to you as a lower upfront lease price for the exact same equipment. You see the reduction the day you sign instead of waiting on a filing season.
What makes it unusual is what it does not do. It does not bill you per kilowatt-hour like a power purchase agreement. It does not bill you monthly like a conventional lease. It does not put a lien on your house. And it hands you a path to full ownership starting in year six.
How It Works For You
The Terms in Plain English
One Prepayment, No Monthly Bill
You pay a single upfront lease price and then nothing else for the entire term, unless you choose to finance the prepayment through a lender.
No Credit Underwriting
There is no FICO score check or credit underwriting to enter the Customer Participation Agreement.
No Lien on Your Home
The Customer Participation Agreement does not place a UCC lien on the property.
Buyout Starting in Year 6
The initial term is 25 years, with the option to transfer the system to you at fair market value any time after the first six years.
Transfers With the House
If you sell, the buyer takes over the agreement with no credit check and no underwriting. A simple transfer notice is all that is required.
Solar, Solar + Battery, or Battery Only
The program covers solar alone, solar paired with storage, or a battery added to a home that already has panels.
From First Visit to Commissioning
Design and Site Review
Cameron walks the roof, reviews your utility history, and designs the system. We confirm your property type qualifies, since condos, townhouses, ground mounts, and mobile homes can have limitations.
Prepaid Lease Pricing
Because Participate Energy claims the tax benefits at the project level, the prepaid lease price comes in meaningfully below the cash price for the identical system. You see that reduction as a lower number today, not as a rebate you wait for.
Sign the Customer Participation Agreement
No credit pull, no lien. If you want to spread the prepayment out, Participate works with approved lenders, or you can bring your own approved lending source.
CellSun Installs and Commissions
We handle permitting with your Connecticut town, the utility interconnection with Eversource or United Illuminating, installation, and commissioning, the same way we do on every CellSun solar project.
Ongoing Operation
Participate Energy keeps responsibility for the system operating and staying in good working order across the term. You keep the production.
Prepaid Lease vs. Cash vs. Loan
| Prepaid Lease | Cash Purchase | Solar Loan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | One prepayment, lower than cash price | Full system price | Little or none |
| Recurring payment | None for the term | None | Monthly with interest |
| Credit check | Not required | Not required | Required |
| Lien on the home | No UCC lien | None | Common |
| Ownership | Buyout at fair market value from year 6 | Immediate | Immediate, with debt |
| Selling the house | Transfers with a notice, no underwriting | Conveys with the home | Usually paid off at closing |
Program terms are set by Participate Energy and are subject to change and to eligibility review. CellSun is an approved installation partner and does not underwrite the agreement. Nothing here is tax advice.
Prepaid Lease Questions We Get
Is this the same as a PPA or a normal solar lease?
No. A power purchase agreement bills you per kilowatt-hour and a standard lease bills you monthly. The Participate Energy Prepaid Lease is a single upfront payment with no recurring cost for the term. It is built to behave much more like buying the system than like financing it.
Why does this exist now?
The individual federal tax credit for residential solar and battery systems expired at the end of 2025. The prepaid lease is structured so the project-level incentives are still captured and passed through to you as a lower upfront price.
Can I own the system eventually?
Yes. After the first six years you have the option to purchase the system at fair market value. The initial term runs 25 years if you do not exercise that option.
What if I sell my house?
The agreement is fully transferable. The new owner assumes it with no credit check and no underwriting. A transfer notice is provided as part of the closing process.
Which homes do not qualify?
Participate Energy notes limitations on certain property types including condos, townhouses, ground mount systems, and mobile homes. We confirm eligibility during the site review before anything is signed.
Is Connecticut a supported state?
Yes. Connecticut is one of the states Participate Energy currently serves, alongside Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
Want to See Your Prepaid Lease Number?
We will price your system both ways, cash and prepaid lease, and show you the difference side by side. No pressure, just honest math.