Sungage launches new expanded residential solar loan program
Boston-based solar financing institution Sungage Financial has launched an expansion to its solar loan program to assist with residential solar affordability amid rising utility costs.
The new and improved program comes in response to the latest evolutions in the solar industry, the company says. Homeowner needs are diversifying and affordability has become a key issue for a large percent of the population. For Sungage, the solution to that problem is the firm’s lowest initial monthly payment ever, in the form of the Sungage Sunrise.
“This product expansion reflects who Sungage is at our core: stable, forward-looking, and deeply committed to making solar ownership work for homeowners,” says Sungage CEO Mike Gilroy. “As we move into our fifteenth year of financing residential solar systems, Sungage is stronger than ever. We’re investing in products that reflect homeowner needs and real-world energy economics.”
The Sungage Sunrise loan program launched in January 2026, and includes a 2.9% payment increase through each year of the loan, according to Gilroy. Advertised as the first of its kind, Sungage officials say Sunrise is the only solar escalator loan currently on the market.
The new program is aimed at homeowners wanting to save more on solar in upfront costs, in comparison to utility cost increases. The company says the loan is an “ideal solution” for ratepayers looking for immediate affordability, but also allows homeowners to keep solar’s inherent flexibility and value.
“These homeowners are budget conscious, value the benefits of ownership and want certainty about their future payments. They are looking for predictability, flexibility, and control,” Gilroy says. “They prefer structured, transparent loan payments that help protect them from unpredictable utility rate increases. They recognize that their electricity needs may change over time. They may want to add panels, install a battery, or have control over how the power they generate is used.”
“Ownership supports control of your electrons during a blackout or in programs such as virtual power plants, which are becoming increasingly common.”
Other new loan programs
Along with its new Sunrise loan program, Sungage also launched BrightStart, a post-ITC loan program, in October 2025. As of January 2026, BrightStart is the only solar loan on the market that offers a Deferred Payment Portion (DPP), the company says.
BrightStart offers its DPP as well as Level Pay, a more traditional flat loan with amortization. The flexible structure “gives homeowners more control over cash flow while maintaining low initial monthly payments, making solar ownership accessible to a broader range of households.”
“Together, Sunrise, BrightStart DPP, and BrightStart Level Pay, give installers the ability to offer homeowners a financing structure which best fits their financial goals,” the company says. “Whether prioritizing immediate savings, flexibility, or long-term savings, Sungage’s product suite is intentionally designed to meet homeowners where they are.”
This wide variety of options helps Sungage differentiate itself from other solar financing programs, Gilroy says. A “meaningful segment” of American homeowners now prefer solar ownership, he adds, thanks to the amount of electrical flexibility control it provides. The energy grid is changing, with utility prices continuing to rise, and programs like the BrightStart DPP can help alleviate some of that financial pressure, Gilroy says.
“Sungage is differentiating itself by doubling down on an ownership-first strategy grounded in 15 years of experience in residential solar,” he says. “Guided by its mission to drive the transition to sustainable homeownership, Sungage has built lasting partnerships across the residential solar ecosystem. That commitment extends to installers, who benefit from unmatched flexibility through access to an approved vendor list of more than 40 solar panels compared to fewer than five in most TPO programs, helping insulate their businesses from supply chain disruptions.”
