Systems and Methods for Financing Renewable Energy Systems

• US 20110137752A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: SolarCity Corporation (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Arfin, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A method for financing renewable energy systems includes offering a home loan to a homeowner in which the interest payable by the homeowner are tax deductible. A lease is also offered to the homeowner for the installation and use of a renewable energy system. A deposit of cash proceeds from the home loan is put into a trust held by an escrow agent for the single purpose of paying lease payments for the lease as each payment becomes due. Such that the proceeds from the home loan are effectively used to defease the debt represented by the lease.

Claims

1. A business method for financing renewable energy systems, comprising:

offering a loan to a homeowner in which the payments by the homeowner are at least in-part tax deductible;

offering a lease to the homeowner for the installation and use of a renewable energy system; and

arranging for a deposit of cash proceeds from said home loan into a trust held by the equivalent of an escrow agent for the single purpose of paying lease payments for said lease as each payment becomes due;

wherein, the proceeds from said home loan are effectively used to defease the debt represented by the future payment obligations of said lease.

2. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a home loan which is interest only.

3. The business method of claim 1, wherein the offering a loan includes an energy loan and the offering a lease includes power purchase agreement.

4. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

seasoning said home loan by allowing said homeowner to make a few payments such that the risk of any holder-in-due-course is reduced thereby; and

selling said home loan to said holder-in-due-course.

5. The business method of claim 4, further comprising:

securitizing said home loan in a portfolio that includes correcting for loans that do not perform to a particular standard.

6. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing the profits of selling said renewable energy system by obtaining more favorable lease terms and decisions from a lessor with particular internal rates of return (IRR) decision criteria as a result of defeasing the lease payment obligations.

7. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

selling any renewable energy credits (REC'"'"'s) that obtain from installing or operating said renewable energy system.

8. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing business operating profits with any tax incentives that obtain from installing or operating said renewable energy system.

9. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

pre-paying in present value money any residual due at the end of the full term of said lease in future value (FV) money.

10. The business method of claim 1, wherein the offering of said lease is such that said lease qualifies for depreciation and capital gains and losses for at least said homeowner.

11. A business method for financing renewable energy systems, comprising:

arranging a home loan for a homeowner in which the interest payable by the homeowner is at least partly tax deductible;

offering a lease to the homeowner for the installation and use of a renewable energy system;

increasing the profits of selling said renewable energy system by obtaining more favorable lease terms and decisions from a lessor with particular internal rates of return (IRR) decision criteria as a result of defeasing the lease debt;

arranging for a deposit of cash proceeds from said home loan into a trust held by an escrow agent for the single purpose of paying lease payments for said lease as each payment becomes due;

seasoning said home loan by allowing said homeowner to make a few payments such that the risk of any holder-in-due-course is reduced thereby;

selling said home loan to said holder-in-due-course;

selling any renewable energy credits (REC'"'"'s) that obtain from installing or operating said renewable energy system; and

increasing business operating profits with any tax incentives that obtain from installing or operating said renewable energy system;

wherein, the proceeds from said home loan are effectively used to defease the debt represented by said lease.

12. The business method of claim 11, wherein:

the arranging of said home loan and the offering of said lease are contemporaneous and prerequisite to the other steps.

13. The business method of claim 11, wherein:

the arranging of said home loan and the offering of said lease are selectable from a menu of varieties of loans and leases.

14. A renewable energy system business product, comprising:

a loan to a homeowner in which the payments by the homeowner are at least in-part tax deductible;

a lease to the homeowner for the installation and use of a renewable energy system;

a deposit of cash proceeds from said home loan into a trust held by an escrow agent for the single purpose of paying lease payments for said lease as each payment becomes due;

wherein, the proceeds from said home loan are effectively used to defease the debt represented by said lease.

15. The renewable energy system business product of claim 14, further comprising:

a web hosting for allowing homeowners to evaluate on-line multiple options and variables in the price, term length, and security interest of a proposed said installation and use of a renewable energy system.

16. The renewable energy system business product of claim 14, further comprising:

a web hosting for allowing lendors and lessors to offer on-line multiple options and variables in the price, term length, and security interest of a proposed said installation and use of a renewable energy system.