Pioneering access to clean energy through financing

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California is well on its way to meet its 2030 renewable energy target of 50%: the state Energy Commission estimates that renewable energy facilities contributed 30% of retail electricity in 2017.

Much of this success is due to a combination of shifts in attitude, policy – and pioneering companies such as Oakland-based Mosaic. Formed in 2011, it is a “B2B2C” model that provides software and financing solutions for homeowners through solar contractors with the aim of making it easier for people to go solar while providing a financial incentive for doing so. No upfront cost, loans structured over 10 to 25 years and substantial energy cost savings make going solar especially compelling compared to energy companies’ existing leasing solutions.

To date, Mosaic has funded more than $1 billion of solar panels in 37 states. To help it grow further, the company completed its first asset-backed security (ABS) transaction in February 2017, securitising $140 million of its residential loan portfolio, with a second transaction having closed in October.

As countries increasingly turn to renewables, it is forward-thinking companies like Mosaic that will play a pivotal role in the global energy transition.