loanTERRA Launches to Eliminate Hidden Fees and Redefine the Future of Green Lending

New Green-Lending-as-a-Service™ platform delivers transparency, trust, and affordability in clean energy financing amid major industry shakeups

SEATTLE, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- loanTERRA is setting a new standard for clean energy financing with the debut of its mission-driven platform designed to remove hidden fees and empower more homeowners to access affordable solar and energy-efficiency upgrades. By equipping credit unions, community banks, and installers with transparent tools, loanTERRA is reimagining how green lending works — and for who it works.

The launch comes at a pivotal time for the clean-energy lending sector, which is undergoing a major reset following the collapse of several national lenders, the loss of the 30% federal tax credit for renewable-energy projects and growing scrutiny over opaque business practices. These disruptions have shaken consumer confidence and left homeowners wary of solar financing. loanTERRA addresses these challenges head-on with a transparent, zero fee Green-Lending-as-a-Service™ platform that empowers local lenders and installers to offer reliable, affordable financing without hidden markups or dependence on volatile, centralized lenders.

"Every homeowner should be able to invest in clean energy without being blindsided by hidden costs," said Bill Paulen, founder and CEO of loanTERRA. "With loanTERRA, we're not just removing opaque fees — we're helping lenders step into clean energy financing in a way that's responsible, scalable, and consumer-first." "This industry doesn't need another lender — it needs a transparent one," said Paulen. "loanTERRA ends the dealer-fee era and gives local lenders a no-lift way to own the future of clean-energy finance."

loanTERRA provides financing for projects such as solar panels, heat pumps, batteries, efficient roofing, windows, and insulation — upgrades that lower household energy use while delivering long-term financial benefits. These are the core building blocks of home electrification — areas where transparency has been missing for far too long.

How It Works. loanTERRA's platform makes clean energy financing simple, transparent, and accessible:

• Homeowners Apply – Borrowers explore financing for solar panels, heat pumps, batteries, EV chargers, and other energy-efficient upgrades. Applications are streamlined, with most approvals and credit decisions issued in minutes.
• Local Lenders Provide the Loans – loanTERRA partners with credit unions and community banks, connecting borrowers directly to mission-driven financial institutions. Unlike national lenders that add hidden fees, local partners offer fair, transparent terms that keep dollars circulating within the community.
• Trusted Installers Do the Work – Projects are completed by vetted solar and energy-efficiency contractors in loanTERRA's Trusted Installer® network, ensuring quality, compliance, and accountability.
• Repayment Matches Utility Savings – Monthly loan payments are designed to align with — and often replace — current electricity bills, so most homeowners see little to no added financial burden while saving in the long run.
• Everyone Benefits – Homeowners reduce costs and carbon footprints, lenders grow sustainable portfolios, installers gain new business, and communities enjoy stronger economies and cleaner air.

"Solar is one of the few investments that pays homeowners back in multiple ways," Paulen said. "Systems can deliver $20,000 to $90,000 in lifetime savings while also protecting families from electricity costs that are expected to rise 50 to 120 percent over the next decade. On average, a solar installation offsets nearly five metric tons of carbon emissions each year — the equivalent of taking one car off the road — and most homeowners see payback in as little as five to fifteen years, with loan payments often structured to mirror their current utility bills."

loanTERRA's geolocation-based model keeps lending and financial returns rooted in local economies by directly connecting homeowners, lenders and regional installers. This approach fuels job growth in clean energy, drives local economic activity and increases property values that strengthen tax revenues for schools, healthcare and public services. At the same time, communities gain resilience by reducing grid dependence and stabilizing energy costs.

"Our business model is designed to create a hyper-local green value chain," Paulen said. "Homeowners save money, installers grow their businesses, lenders strengthen their portfolios, and communities reap the benefits of stronger local economies. We call this network our Orbit because it's multiple forces working together in one coordinated system."

For credit unions and community banks, loanTERRA also opens the door to a low-risk, high-yield asset class without requiring new staff, IT investments or monthly fees. Residential solar loans perform strongly, with delinquency rates averaging 0.5 to 1.5 percent compared with 22 percent on credit cards. The platform's automated underwriting, built-in compliance and Trusted Installer® network further reduce risk, while green lending helps institutions diversify portfolios, deepen community ties and attract younger, sustainability-minded members.

Bill Paulen, founder and CEO of loanTERRA, has spent more than a decade at the intersection of green finance and credit union innovation. He launched one of the nation's first solar loan programs as CEO of Generations Credit Union—creating the country's original No Hidden Fee solar loan. Later, at Community 1st Credit Union, he built the ezSolarLoan™ brand and scaled it into the first national clean-energy lender built on 100% transparency. Today, he leads loanTERRA's mission to eliminate hidden fees, empower local lenders, and shape consumer protections that make clean energy financing fair and accessible. Paulen's track record of running credit unions competing directly with Wall Street lenders gives loanTERRA immediate credibility as the industry's reformer and trusted partner. Learn more about loanTERRA at www.loanterra.com.

 About loanTERRA
 loanTERRA is the first fully transparent green-lending platform that unites homeowners, lenders and installers under one promise: no hidden fees, ever. Founded in 2022 by credit union and clean energy finance leader Bill Paulen, loanTERRA delivers Green-Lending-as-a-Service (GLaaS™) technology that enables credit unions and community banks to offer affordable loans for solar panels, heat pumps, EV chargers and other energy-efficient upgrades. By removing hidden dealer fees and connecting borrowers with local lenders and trusted installers, loanTERRA is redefining how clean energy projects are financed, helping families save money, communities grow stronger and financial institutions expand sustainable portfolios.

Media Contacts: Osborne Northwest Public Relations for loanTERRA

Jillian Napolitano, [email protected], 310-654-7021

Kate Neidigh, [email protected], 206-802-5163

SOURCE loanTERRA