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Energy Backup: Program Overview

Updated yesterday

Overview

Palmetto Lightreach, a diversified home electrification financing platform, has launched a consumer focused Energy Backup Plan to support the adoption of energy storage systems. The program aims to empower homeowners seeking energy security and reliability in the face of unpredictable utility outages and rising utility rates.

The LightReach Energy Plan enables peace of mind by providing:

  1. A consistent method of ensuring their home stays powered

  2. Reduced reliance on utilities

  3. Added simplicity through a predictable monthly payment

Our lease offering provides fast, easy access to Energy Storage systems for homeowners.

  • The battery storage system is owned by LightReach.

  • All major service and maintenance is covered

  • Worry Free Energy Backup!

How it Works

When a customer signs up for a LightReach Energy Backup Plan, they pay a set monthly lease payment to LightReach for their Energy Backup system. Plans have no interest, and no payments for any maintenance or repairs. Customers get fast installation with no upfront costs and no impact to their credit.

Terms & Rates

LightReach offers two term lengths for Energy Backup Plans:

  • 10 year

  • 12 year

Both term options will include our warranty and maintenance guarantee for the length of the term, along with options to extend the lease, transfer to a new owner, or purchase the equipment. All term options are available for any approved equipment for the program.

Storage installed with the LightReach Energy Backup program is warrantied by the length of the signed term. Warranties are listed below:

Term Length

Contract Term

Renewal Period

10 Year

Labor & Equipment warrantied through LightReach Energy Backup Plan through year 10

Customer is responsible for labor and equipment

12 Year

Labor & Equipment warrantied through LightReach Energy Backup Plan through year 11

Customer is responsible for labor and equipment

Milestones

By EPCs, for EPCs: Our milestones are designed with operations personnel in mind, with direct input from EPCs across the country. The platform was built to provide a simple and straightforward experience for sales and operations.

To view specific milestone breakdowns, navigate to the Operations section of this help center or keyword search "milestones".

Available Markets

Below is a currently list of market availability with this program, sorted by market:

Click here to view our Active Utilities for Energy Backup

Arizona

  • Arizona Public Service (APS)

  • Tucson Electric Power (TEP)

  • Salt River Project (SRP)

  • Mohave Electric Cooperative

  • UNS Electric / UniSource Energy Services

  • TRICO Electric Cooperative

California

  • Los Angeles Dept Water & Power -LADWP

  • Pacific Gas & Electric - PGE

  • San Diego Gas & Electric - SDG&E

  • Southern California Edison SCE

  • Imperial Irrigation District (IID)

  • Anaheim Public Utilities (APU)

Florida

  • Duke Energy

  • Florida Power & Light (FP&L)

  • Tampa Electric- (TECO)

  • Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC)

  • Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA)

  • Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC)

  • Peace River Electric Coop (PREC)

  • Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO)

  • Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC)

  • Lakeland Electric

  • City of Tallahassee (Your Own Utilities)

  • Gainesville Regional Utility (GRU)

  • City of Winter Park

  • Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA)

Texas

We recognize that the state of Texas electric service territories and market conditions are unique and diverse. Please use the guidance below to determine if a customer is in 'deregulated ' or retail choice area and thus eligible for LightReach PPA, or if the customer is in one of our approved municipal or cooperative utilities and eligible for a LightReach Lease. Identifying the TDU and/or verifying a Retail Electric Provider is on the PUC of Texas list is a simple way to verify. On the PUC site, the utility company name can be looked up on the REP (Retail Energy Provider) Directory, and the TDU (Transmission Distribution Utility) Directory. The TDU Coverage Map is another resource to confirm the utility territory the customer resides in.

If the bill is administered by ANY of the retail electric provider ('REP') names and DBAs on the current PUCT list, then it is a retail choice area and eligible for a LightReach PPA:

Transmission Distribution Utilities (TDUs) with Retail Energy Providers (REPs)

  • Oncor Electric

  • CenterPoint Energy

  • American Electric Power Texas North (AEP - North)

  • American Electric Power Texas Central (AEP - Central)

  • Texas New Mexico Power Company (TNMP)

  • Lubbock Power & Light (municipal utility turned TDU in 2024)

Municipal, Cooperative, and IOUs (full-service)

  • El Paso Electric (TX)

  • Bartlett Electric Cooperative

  • BlueBonnet Electric Cooperative

  • CoServ Electric Cooperative

  • College Station Utilities

  • Denton Municipal Electric

  • Entergy Texas

  • Garland Power & Light

  • Grayson Collin Electric Cooperative

  • Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative

  • Pedernales Electric Cooperative

  • South Plains Electric Cooperative

  • Tri-County Electric Cooperative

  • United Electric Cooperative

FAQs

1

Can this product be sold without existing solar?

Yes. While we expect most customers will have existing solar, Energy Backup can be sold with or without it. All jurisdictional and utility requirements must be met (e.g. grid-charging must be permitted and non-export settings should be utilized where required )

All customers should be well informed on what to expect from their battery, especially during an outage. It should be clear that a battery without solar will not get replenished during an outage.

2

Are there restrictions on existing solar, including financing?

No. Any onsite solar must simply be compatible with the new battery system and not create performance issues.

While existing financing type is not directly relevant, customers with existing solar will be asked to acknowledge any risks related to their system in both the Energy Backup contract and their Palmetto account setup.

3

Can I add storage if the existing solar isn’t working?

Palmetto LightReach and installing partners are not responsible for the health or performance of existing solar, and this product is not an avenue to PLR ‘taking over’ existing solar systems.

If you notice a potential issue, advise the customer and recommend they contact their solar provider. Ideally, issues should be resolved before the Energy Backup install.

4

When can installs and funding begin?

Functionality and funding for Install & Activation milestones will be supported in the LightReach portal starting in late September (Date to be confirmed).

If an install is completed earlier, milestone submission and funding must wait until the portal update is live.

5

What are the operations and photo documentation requirements?

There will be two milestones: Install and Activation. Requirements will mirror the battery portions of the solar program, with a few added photos/documents to confirm compatibility and sizing for any existing solar.

A detailed photo list will be published in the Operations Guide (coming soon). PTO documents and any relevant incentives documents, where applicable, will be required to pass the Activation milestone.

6

Is Direct Pay available for Energy Backup?

Yes. Direct Pay will be available through the same distributor partners as the solar program.

Are third party platforms supported with Energy Backup?

Yes, we are working with several third party platforms such as Aurora, Solo, Enerflo, and SubHub to integrate this product.

This feature is currently in development. Supporting pages on how to integrate them with your preferred platform will be provided in future updates.

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