How To Offer Finance For Renewable Energy Installers

The commercial case for customer finance

Customer finance lets you sell renewable installations the way many homeowners already pay for big household upgrades: as a predictable monthly cost. For installers, that means fewer projects lost to upfront price shock, more consistent cash flow, and a simpler way to package higher-value add-ons like batteries, EV chargers and monitoring. In the UK, finance is increasingly presented in utility-style language: one monthly figure that can include kit, installation and ongoing care. When done properly, it makes your quote easier to understand and easier to say yes to.

Standout line: If your quote is clear but the payment is hard, finance turns “someday” into “this month”.

What drives customers to finance renewables

Renewables are a classic “high upfront, long-term benefit” purchase. Customers want lower bills, resilience and greener homes, but they also want to protect savings and avoid tying up cash. Many prefer familiar borrowing routes such as unsecured personal loans, green loans or home-improvement loans, especially when they want ownership from day one. Others lean towards newer models that feel like a subscription, bundling installation, monitoring and maintenance into a single monthly fee. In parallel, some households combine partial grant support with a top-up loan where eligible, reducing the amount they need to borrow and improving affordability.

How finance tends to lift conversion and order value

Offering finance removes the biggest friction in domestic renewables: the moment the customer compares a full upfront total with their monthly budget. Presenting a monthly option alongside the cash price allows customers to choose a payment shape that matches how they already manage household costs. It also makes upgrades easier to justify at point of sale, because the incremental monthly impact of a battery, optimiser, or extended warranty feels smaller than the incremental capital outlay. In practice, installers often see faster decisions, fewer abandoned quotes, and larger average baskets when finance is integrated into the proposal rather than mentioned as an afterthought.

Typical UK transaction values (and how they’re often financed)

Figures vary by property, system size, roof works, grid connection, and specification. The goal is to design finance bands that fit your real-world quoting.

What you can sensibly put on finance

1. Solar PV supply and installation

2. Battery storage systems

3. Hybrid inverter upgrades

4. Monitoring packages and optimisation add-ons

5. Heat pumps and associated controls

6. EV chargers and electrical upgrade works

7. Servicing, maintenance and protection plans (where structured appropriately)

Staying on the right side of FCA rules

Finance must be presented in a fair, clear and not misleading way, with costs explained in real terms rather than headline monthly figures alone. Your team should avoid giving regulated advice unless authorised, stick to approved wording, and ensure any promotions are compliant, including 0% claims and representative examples where required. Customer affordability and credit checks sit with the lender, but your process should still be mindful of vulnerability and treating customers fairly. Use a broker-led model to keep roles and responsibilities clear.

Introducer and broker routes: what actually happens behind the scenes

Most installers do not become lenders. Instead, you typically act as an introducer: you generate the lead at the point of sale and pass the customer to a retail finance broker who can match them with suitable lenders. The broker manages lender panels, eligibility checks, application flows and lender communications, while you focus on the installation and customer experience. This model also helps you offer multiple finance types without needing to build separate relationships with each provider. In renewables, it’s particularly useful because customers may want different structures: unsecured loans, green-focused lending, supplier-backed fixed APR products, or longer-term plans that feel closer to a household bill.

Practical tip: Your quote should show both “pay in full” and “pay monthly” options so customers self-select before you discuss credit.

The customer journey, step by step

1. Build the quote as a package: itemise the system, but also show a simple total and a monthly option that includes key inclusions (kit, installation, and any bundled services).

2. Offer a choice of payment shapes: for example, shorter-term fixed plans for those who want to clear it quickly, and longer-term plans for those optimising monthly outgoings.

3. Explain APR in plain English: make it clear that APR is about the total cost of borrowing over time, not just the rate.

4. Share eligibility expectations: confirm basic requirements (UK residency, age, bank account, etc.) without pre-judging outcomes.

5. Introduce to the broker application: the customer completes an application via a secure link or broker-led journey.

6. Credit decision and offer: the lender provides a decision and terms; the customer reviews and accepts.

7. Confirm install dates: once finance is approved, you schedule works as normal.

8. Complete the installation: keep documentation tight (handover pack, warranties, MCS where relevant, photos).

9. Activation and customer support: ensure the customer knows when repayments start and who to contact for finance queries versus technical support.

Where supplier-backed and subscription-style options fit

Some UK energy brands now present solar and battery packages with set monthly pricing, including options like 0% on selected products over a defined period, and longer plans that can run for decades. Other suppliers connect customers to fixed-APR finance over multi-year terms, designed to feel like straightforward consumer finance while the homeowner owns the system. Subscription-style solar models also exist where the monthly fee can include maintenance and monitoring. For an installer, the lesson is simple: customers respond to clarity and packaging, so your finance presentation should feel as easy to understand as a household bill.

Getting started with Kandoo

Kandoo operates as a UK retail finance broker, helping installers introduce customers to suitable finance routes without you needing to become a lender. The quickest path is to define your typical job values, the products you want to include, and how you want to present monthly pricing in your proposals. From there, you can align your sales process with an introducer journey so customers can move from quote to application smoothly, with clear roles, compliant messaging, and a customer experience that feels professional. Once live, review your lead-to-approval-to-install funnel monthly and refine the finance options you present based on real outcomes.

Next step: Audit your last 30 lost quotes and estimate how many were “timing or budget” objections. That number is your finance opportunity.

Quick optimisation ideas you can implement this week

• Add a “from £X per month” panel to quotes, with a clear representative example.

• Train advisers to explain APR using total repayable, not jargon.

• Bundle batteries as an optional monthly uplift rather than a second large headline price.

• Build a simple grant-and-loan prompt for eligible customers to reduce the amount financed.

FAQs

What types of finance do renewable customers actually use?

Most commonly: unsecured personal loans, green loans, and home-improvement loans. Increasingly, customers also consider supplier-backed fixed APR plans and subscription-style models that bundle maintenance and monitoring.

Can I advertise 0% finance?

Potentially, yes, but it must be accurate, available, and presented compliantly. Ensure the term, product eligibility, and any limitations are clear, and use approved promotional wording.

Is a subscription model the same as a loan?

Not always. Subscription-style solar typically bundles the system and services into a monthly fee, often with maintenance included. Loan-based finance usually means the customer owns the system from day one and repays borrowing over time.

What is the difference between unsecured loans and asset-backed finance?

Unsecured loans are not secured against an asset and are common in domestic projects. Asset-backed finance uses the equipment as part of the security structure and is more common for commercial installations, often supporting larger values.

Do I need FCA authorisation to offer finance?

Many installers operate as introducers rather than as authorised advisers or lenders. The correct setup depends on what you say and do in the sales process, so it’s important to follow compliant introducer practices and approved materials.

How does finance help me sell batteries alongside solar?

Batteries can feel expensive as an add-on, but as a monthly uplift they’re easier to justify, particularly when framed around resilience, time-of-use tariffs, and self-consumption.

Can business customers finance commercial solar differently?

Yes. Businesses often consider leasing, asset finance, or power purchase agreements (PPAs), which can reduce upfront costs and focus the decision on cash flow and energy savings rather than capital expenditure.

What should I have ready before introducing customers to finance?

Your typical job values, clear product scope, a compliant way to show monthly pricing, and a clean handover process. The smoother your documentation and install scheduling, the more confident lenders and customers will feel.