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The Solar and Green Lending Professional Training - Virtual Series is designed by Inclusiv and the University of New Hampshire for community-based lending institutions (credit unions, CDFIs, and community banks). We are able to admit individuals with more than one year of lending experience who are positioned to advance their organization's activity in financing individual consumer, community, or commercial solar and green (energy efficiency, electrification, electric vehicles, and other clean energy) projects.
These trainings will cover the knowledge, skills, and practices you need to engage in solar and green lending, including market assessment, product development, working with solar installers and developers, underwriting and deal structuring, and program and asset management. We will include focused content on how to develop financing that integrates the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives and on providing solar and green finance to underserved borrowers to lend deeper into your community.
We launched our solar lending training courses in November 2020, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. To date, we have trained over 400 lenders from over 200 community-based financial institutions. In early 2024, we will add an additional course - Consumer Energy Efficiency, Electrification, and Electrical Vehicle Lending. (Scroll down to apply now!)
Our instructor-led training courses are offered to small cohorts of community-based lenders with high potential to develop new solar and green lending products, collaborate with partners to provide solar and green financing, and/or deploy new loans or investments. Participants will:
- Access engaging videos, reference materials, facilitated online discussion, and expert webinars focused on practitioner needs.
- Earn a Solar Lending Professional Certificate issued through Inclusiv upon successful course completion.
- Continue with technical assistance after course completion in the form of follow-on peer workshops and coaching to move your ideas to action.
The Solar and Green Lending Professional Training - Virtual Series is jointly offered by the Center for Impact Finance at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey School of Public Policy and the Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy.
Courses Offered:
Self-Paced: Introduction to Solar Finance (2-4 hour time requirement)
Instructor-Led Courses:
- Consumer Solar Lending (8 modules, 44-hour time reoom meetings and homework assignments)
- Commercial Solar Lending (9 modules, 70-hour time requirement for 9 weekly Zoom meetings and homework assignments)
- COMING SOON: Consumer Energy Efficiency, Electrification, and Electric Vehicle Lending (Coming Q1 2024: apply now to be informed when the course dates are released.)
Course Pricing:
Starting in January 2024, course prices will be as follows. Please note, there are scholarships available. Email Neda Arabshahi to learn more.
- Self-Paced Introduction to Solar Finance: $75
- Instructor-Led Courses $TBD NH State Resident / $TBD Out of State
Consumer Solar Lending
Live online sessions held
Tuesdays from 4–5:30 pm ET:
- Sept 2023: Meets weekly Sep 26 – Nov 14, 2023
- Q1/Q2 – 2024: (dates to be determined)
Commercial Solar Lending
Live online sessions held
Thursdays from 4:30–6 pm ET:
- Sept 2023: Meets weekly Sep 14 – Nov 16, 2023 (no class Oct 19)
- Q1/Q2 – 2024: (dates to be determined)
COMING IN EARLY 2024:
Consumer Energy Efficiency, Electrification, and Electric Vehicle Lending
Apply now to be informed when the course dates are released.
Participants are expected to complete all training sections and participate fully, with their cameras on, in the weekly online Zoom video discussions. After completing the course, participants will be asked to provide quarterly updates on solar loans originated. Community-based lenders are encouraged to enroll multiple staff to participate, in order to build organizational capacity for increasing solar lending activity within their institutions.
For more information, contact Neda Arabshahi, Vice President, Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy, or Laurie Smith, Student Services Specialist, Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire.