Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth MA Residential Solar Loan Program P RELIMINARY D ESIGN P ROPOSAL Stakeholder Review Meeting June 30, 2014 – Boston July 1, 2014 – Greenfield July 2, 2014 – Westborough
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Solar (PV) Technology and Markets Solar PV is a mature technology with a proven performance track record. Solar markets have increased worldwide installed capacity from 31.1 GW in 2012 to have the capacity to reach 48 GW by Solar costs continue to decline and an unsubsidized solar market is within sight. Project financing is mature for large scale solar development, but remains difficult for small, residential scale projects. Residential solar can provide positive cash flow to homeowner throughout loan period, minimizing default concerns. DOER study (September 2013) demonstrated substantially greater value of residential direct ownership to the homeowner and the Commonwealth, as opposed to 3 rd party ownership model. DOER study (September 2013) DOER will utilize $30 million to facilitate solar loan offerings to residential market. 2
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Massachusetts Residential Solar Market Market has been supported by the RPS Solar Carve-Out program.RPS Solar Carve-Out program. – Phase I (SREC I) ended system qualifications in April – Phase II (SREC II) program was launched in April 2014 to meet Governor’s new goal of 1600 MW by – New net metering and solar incentive bill may begin new tariff based program in 2015/2016 providing fixed revenue for generation – eliminates risk associated with SREC II market price. Between 2014 and 2020, DOER anticipates a growth in the residential sector from about 5,000 to 10,000 systems per year. Residential installations represent approximately a half to $1.5 billion investment over this timeframe. Solar Loan Program seeks to facilitate access of homeowners to financing and encourage local financial institutions to serve the market. 3
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Growth of MA Solar Market Massachusetts is a national solar leader. 350 of 351 MA cities and towns have a solar installation 4 th in solar capacity installed in th in cumulative installed capacity 6 th in residential installations 4
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth MA Residential Solar PV Installations 5
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Benefits to Participation Customer Broader access to financing for residential direct-ownership of solar PV Cash-flow positive financing as with 3 rd party leasing with the added economic benefits of ownership 6 Installer Mechanism to offer cash flow positive, direct-ownership project financing Mechanism to broaden direct- ownership customer demographic beyond those with premier credit and those who can provide their own financing Lender Opportunity to reach new and old customers with a new loan product Mechanism to enter the highly successful MA solar market with risk mitigation provided by DOER’s credit enhancement Opportunity to enhance green lending and wealth creating services that benefit the community
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Agenda 1. Eligibility Customer Eligibility Technical Eligibility Qualification of Installers 2. Financial Analysis Solar Loan Example Loan Parameters Credit Enhancement Potential Leverage of DOER Funds 3. Program Structure Loan Facilitation Central Administrator Program Documents 4. Next Steps 7
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements MA Solar Loan Flow Diagram 8
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Mass Solar Loan Program Draft Design Elements Customer Eligibility Homeowner – installing solar on primary or secondary residence. Small Participants in Community Shared Solar – off-takers with ownership positions or ownership via condo associations (25 kW or less). Customer eligible for SREC II program or successor program. 9
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Solar PV System – Technical Eligibility Adapted from Commonwealth Solar IICommonwealth Solar II Minimum Technical Requirements (from MassCEC) Minimum design and estimated production requirements Project designed so that estimated annual energy output is at least 80% of the default optimal output for a fixed PV project of the same capacity Installation requirements Electrical work performed by MA licensed electrician Project installed according to manufacturer’s instructions and in compliance with all applicable permits, interconnection agreements, codes and standards 10
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Solar PV System – Technical Eligibility PV project and equipment warranty requirements Installer warranty (at least 5 year labor warranty) Manufacturer warranty (at least 20 year production warranty on panels) Roof condition in satisfactory shape Service and maintenance plan for loan term Additional solar PV equipment requirements New panels and equipment UL listed Solar panels on California Energy Commission (or successor) list of eligible renewable energy equipment Electricity production meter requirements Data Acquisition System and automatic generation reporting 11
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Qualification of Installers Installers expedited similar to MassCEC Commonwealth Solar II Rebates programMassCEC Commonwealth Solar II Rebates program Installers already expedited in Commonwealth Solar II immediately qualifies installer for expedition in solar loan program Non-expedited or new-entry installers will be subject to inspection of first two projects Successful inspection will result in expedited status for installer going forward Inspection contracted by Central Administrator 12
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Model System Used for Financial Analysis Financial modeling based on typical residential system: Capacity: 5 kW Installed cost: $4.50/Watt Project cost: $22,500 SREC II revenue set consistent with declining Auction Floor Price. 13
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Illustrative Cash Flow Model 14 Borrower provides lender with federal tax credit ($6750) within 18 months, or else loan is re-amortized.
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Loan Parameters Lender eligibility for credit enhancement (interest rate buy down and loan loss reserve) Unsecured loan with option for Lender to use a UCC-1 filing Maximum loan available of at least $35,000 Loans available to borrowers with FICO scores down to at least 580 Lender may establish additional underwriting criteria (e.g. borrower income, debt/income, credit/debt), subject to further review for final program design Loan term of 10 years to coincide with SREC revenue Lenders may offer optional terms, but a term of 10 years must be offered Interest rate (for 10 year loan term) initially no higher than 5.5% before interest rate buy down (potentially pegged to prime lending rate) No penalties for early payoff 1/3 of loan disbursed upon closing of loan used to pay installer, other 2/3 of loan disbursed to Borrower Optional two-party check or direct Borrower payment Transferability (at discretion of Lender that new homeowner meets credit requirements) Loan fees optional, but not to exceed threshold set by DOER Loan must not have recourse to credit enhancement by any other state or government program 15
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Credit Enhancement 16 SREC II Revenue Security Borrower consents to assignment of SREC II revenue to LLR agent in case of default (revenue replenishes LLR fund and discourages default)
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Potential Leverage of DOER Funds DOER has allocated $30 million to support the credit enhancement and early mover incentives to encourage consumer solar loans. Modeling, with conservative assumptions, demonstrates that the DOER funds may support around $150 million of loans, a leverage factor of 5 times. 17
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Loan Facilitation DOER will secure and approve loan facilitation to solar installers, borrowers, and lenders to enhance transactional efficiencies in the market. Lenders may opt to provide service themselves. The default or 3 rd party service providers will: Provide pre-screening and preliminary approval of borrower eligibility (home ownership, FICO score, employment, income, debt/credit ratio, etc.) Lenders who wish to perform these services directly with borrowers may do so Provide homeowner with list and loan offerings of qualified lenders Qualify solar installations as meeting technical/quality criteria for loan eligibility Provide access to common online or lender-specific loan applications, per lender preference 18
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Central Administrator DOER will establish a Central Administrator for the solar loan program that will provide the following services: Qualify lenders and loan products that meet program criteria to be eligible for the credit enhancement Qualify solar installers for expedited treatment Maintain Loan Program website with public information and listing of qualified participants and loan offerings Register each loan and directly, or through contracted party, disburse IRB and administer LLR accounts Provide quarterly DOER and public reports on loan program activity and recommendations for improvement Establish a NEPOOL GIS account for SREC II’s that are assigned to the administrator due to loan defaults, sell the credits into the market for competitive value, and utilize revenues for credit enhancement as directed by DOER 19
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements Program Documents Required documentation Program criteria documents Participation qualification documents Program forms DOER will create program documents for review and program launch Documents will be in an online form to the extent feasible 20
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Draft Design Elements MA Solar Loan Flow Diagram 21
Creating A Cleaner Energy Future For the Commonwealth Next Steps… DOER will take stakeholder input and develop final program design DOER will draft program documents for review DOER will procure Default Loan Service Provider and Central Administrator DOER seeks to establish a Lender working group to be available for further programmatic and document review. Please provide Emma Krause your contact information if you are interested. DOER may hold one additional Lender stakeholder meeting to offer final proposed program design for discussion DOER expects to initiate loan program in fall of 2014 DOER is most interested in your comments on the preliminary design provided today. Please your comments to Emma Krause by Tuesday, July 15, 2014 Comments received as well as this presentation will be posted on DOER’s website Contact Emma Krause at: 22