Sunstone Credit launches SOL, a loan product built for standalone commercial energy storage
The new financing option enables businesses to deploy batteries without cash upfront, addressing grid reliability and peak demand challenges while expanding access to the 30% federal ITC for storage
Sunstone Credit, a commercial clean energy lender known for its streamlined solar financing platform, is now targeting the next big frontier in distributed energy: standalone battery storage. The company this week launched SOL, billed as the first loan designed exclusively for commercial energy storage systems.
The product arrives at a moment when grid reliability is faltering and electricity costs continue to climb across much of the United States. Businesses that once viewed battery storage as optional are now considering it essential — both to reduce demand charges and to keep critical operations running during outages.
“Sunstone’s mission is to finance the entire energy transition for commercial customers,” said Josh Goldberg, co-founder and CEO of Sunstone Credit. “We look forward to continuing to enhance our suite of financing products to meet this generational opportunity.”
Expanding access to battery storage
Until now, most financing options for commercial energy storage were tied to solar-plus-storage systems. Standalone batteries — often needed for demand reduction or backup power at existing facilities — lacked dedicated financing structures. Sunstone’s new SOL loan aims to fill that gap.
The program offers:
- Fixed-rate financing with predictable monthly payments
- Terms up to 10 years or the warrantied life of the battery
- Streamlined application and underwriting for fast approval
- Financing for projects ranging from $50,000 to $6 million
Importantly, the loan applies to both new standalone systems and upgrades to existing solar projects, giving businesses more flexibility to add energy storage after initial installation.
Unlocking new economic value
Battery storage enables several forms of operational savings: lowering peak demand charges, optimizing time-of-use consumption, and providing resilience during grid interruptions. Businesses that finance their systems through Sunstone may also qualify for the 30% federal investment tax credit for energy storage, plus depreciation and potential state-level incentives.
Sunstone notes that these savings can compound across a portfolio of facilities, particularly for customers in demand-heavy sectors such as manufacturing, retail, and healthcare.
Financing the full energy transition
The launch of SOL builds on Sunstone Credit’s broader commercial clean energy portfolio, which already includes loans for solar, solar + storage, EV charging, and roof replacements. Its Express Loan program serves smaller projects under $600,000.
