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Get a Free QuoteNot everyone qualifies for Propel. This guide covers every requirement, what disqualifies you, and what alternatives exist if Propel is not available. We would rather help you find the right solution than waste your time on the wrong one.
Quick Answer
To qualify for Propel solar, you need: (1) a FICO score of 660 or higher (TransUnion), (2) to be a homeowner living at the installation address in Maine, Texas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, (3) a roof in good condition with 10+ years of remaining life, and (4) a system in the typical residential size range — fit is confirmed when your design is prepared. You can prequalify online in a few minutes: get an instant solar design, choose Propel, and run the soft credit check — a soft pull only, with no impact on your score. If you do not qualify, alternatives include solar leases (580+ FICO), standard loans, cash purchase, or community solar.
Minimum 660 FICO score from TransUnion. This is a firm requirement with no exceptions. Your credit profile then places you in one of three rate tiers: the Excellent tier gets the best rate at 8.49%, and the Good tier gets 10.49%. Concert does not publish the score cutoffs between tiers. A co-applicant who lives at the property can be added to strengthen the application.
You must own the property where the solar system will be installed. The property must be your primary residence. Investment properties, vacation homes, and rental properties do not qualify. Your name must be on the deed or mortgage.
NuWatt offers Propel in Maine, Texas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Maine: CMP and Versant territory. Texas: ERCOT market territories including Oncor, CenterPoint, and Austin Energy. Massachusetts: Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil territory statewide. Rhode Island and Connecticut: the investor-owned utility territories in each state. Municipal and cooperative utilities are reviewed case by case. If you live outside a live state, you can join the waitlist for New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont, and Pennsylvania.
Your roof must have sufficient remaining life (10+ years recommended), adequate solar exposure (minimal shade), and structural integrity to support panels. A NuWatt site assessment evaluates roof condition, orientation, pitch, and shading. If your roof needs replacement, that should happen before Propel installation.
Propel is built for typical residential systems, and most 6-12kW home installations fit comfortably. Unusually small or unusually large projects may fall outside the program structure — NuWatt confirms fit when your system is designed, before anything is signed.
Single-family homes, townhomes with individual roofs, and condos where you own or control the roof. The property must have a suitable roof footprint for solar. Ground-mount systems may be eligible in some cases. Mobile homes and manufactured homes on rented land do not qualify.
Your credit does not just determine whether you qualify; it determines how much you pay. Concert Finance assigns one of three rate tiers from your credit profile, named for credit quality rather than numbered. The spread between the Excellent and Good tiers is 2.00 percentage points, which translates to approximately $12,800 in total interest over the 25-year loan term on a $30,000 system.
| Credit Tier | APR with ACH autopay | Without autopay (+0.50%) | Monthly ($30K) | Total Interest ($30K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 8.49% | 8.99% | $245 | $43,100 |
| Very Good | 9.49% | 9.99% | $265 | $49,500 |
| Good | 10.49% | 10.99% | $285 | $55,900 |
Concert publishes no FICO score ranges for these tiers, so this table does not show any — the only published score requirement is the 660 program minimum. Your tier comes back with your soft-credit prequalification. Concert also offers a separate Standard RBP4 product at 9.69% APR, which is not one of the three credit tiers.
A stronger credit profile can move you up a tier, and Concert does not publish where the lines fall — so if your score is anywhere near the 660 program minimum, or you know your report has fixable problems, it may be worth spending 2-3 months on it before applying. Common quick wins: pay down credit card balances below 30% utilization, dispute any errors on your TransUnion report, and avoid opening new credit accounts. Moving up one tier, from Good to Very Good, saves approximately $6,500 over the loan life.
If your credit score is below 660 but your spouse or co-owner has a score above 660, they can serve as the primary applicant with you as a co-applicant. Both applicants must live at the installation address. The application uses the primary applicant's credit for rate determination, so putting the stronger-credit person as the primary applicant gets the best rate.
This is also useful for tier placement. If the applicant with the stronger credit profile is named primary and that moves the application up one tier, the saving is approximately $6,300 in total interest over 25 years.
CMP (Central Maine Power) and Versant Power territory, covering most of the state. Net Energy Billing provides 1:1 retail credit for excess production.
ERCOT market territories including Oncor, CenterPoint, and Austin Energy. Competitive retail electricity market with varied rate structures.
The four approved Massachusetts IOU entries, which map to Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil service territories. Municipal light plant customers are not eligible. SMART treatment for the prepaid Propel structure is still being evaluated and must be confirmed before contracting.
Rhode Island Energy territory. Propel sits alongside the existing Rhode Island lease and PPA economics.
Eversource and United Illuminating territory. Relevant for homeowners weighing Smart-E, cash, and zero-down options now that the homeowner ITC has expired.
Contact NuWatt to join the waitlist and be notified when Propel launches in your state.
Propel includes a post-signing REC assignment process: the system owner issues a waiver so the homeowner retains their renewable-energy-certificate (REC) value and any applicable local incentives, where applicable. In a SMART 3.0 state that matters most in Massachusetts — see the Massachusetts Propel page for how the REC waiver interacts with SMART 3.0 and the Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil territories.
You prequalify online in a few minutes, without a sales call: get an instant solar design for your address, choose Propel to see your fixed monthly payment, then run the soft credit check. It is a soft pull only, so there is no impact to your credit score, your Social Security number is never stored, and a decision typically comes back in seconds. Propel requires a minimum 660 FICO score and a homeowner who lives at the installation address.
Enter your address and utility. NuWatt generates a system design for your actual roof, so you are looking at a real layout and production estimate rather than a generic average.
Switch the financing on your design dashboard to Propel. You see the nothing-down structure and the fixed monthly payment for that specific system, with no escalator and no dealer fees.
Enter your name, address, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Soft pull only, no impact to your credit score, the number is never stored, and the decision typically returns in seconds.
If you prequalify, a NuWatt advisor confirms roof condition, utility interconnection, and the local incentive details for your state before anything is signed. A hard credit inquiry happens only if you choose to submit a full application.
Prequalification is available in every live Propel state (ME, TX, MA, RI, CT). Massachusetts homeowners can also start from the Massachusetts Propel page, which covers SMART 3.0, the REC waiver, and per-utility electricity rates for the Commonwealth. A credit approval stays valid for about six months, and a signing window applies once your agreement is prepared; the exact dates are confirmed during your consultation.
Even if you meet the basic requirements, certain situations can disqualify your application. Knowing these upfront saves time and frustration.
A bankruptcy discharge within the past 2 years typically results in denial. Chapter 7 bankruptcies older than 2 years may still qualify if your FICO has recovered to 660+. Chapter 13 bankruptcies in active repayment are generally not eligible.
If your roof has less than 10 years of remaining life, NuWatt will recommend re-roofing before installation. Installing solar on a failing roof means costly removal and reinstallation later ($2,000-$5,000). NuWatt can coordinate a re-roof + solar package.
Apartment buildings, condos with shared roof access, and community living situations where you do not have exclusive roof rights are not eligible. You need documented rights to install equipment on the specific roof area.
Mobile homes and manufactured homes on rented land do not qualify for Propel. The structural and ownership requirements of the TPO structure require a permanent, deeded property. Manufactured homes on owned land may qualify on a case-by-case basis.
Propel requires you to live at the installation address. Investment properties, short-term rentals, and properties where you are the landlord but not the resident do not qualify. The homeowner must be the occupant.
Even within a live state, certain utility territories may not be supported. In Maine, you must be in CMP or Versant territory. In Texas, you must be in the ERCOT market. In Massachusetts, Propel is limited to the four approved IOU entries that map to Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil; municipal light plant customers are not eligible.
Understanding the timeline helps you plan, because the federal §48E credit is time-bound: projects starting now generally must be placed in service by December 31, 2027, and NuWatt manages construction scheduling to hit that.
Run it yourself online: instant solar design for your address, choose Propel, then the soft credit pull that determines eligibility and APR tier. No score impact, and no sales call required to get this far.
NuWatt evaluates your roof using satellite imagery and designs a system. If an in-person assessment is needed, it adds 3-5 days. System design is presented with Propel pricing through Artemis/Solargraf.
If you proceed, full application submitted to Concert Finance. Hard inquiry on TransUnion. Final approval includes loan terms, monthly payment, and contract.
Sign the Propel agreement. NuWatt handles permitting with your local building department. Permit timelines vary: Texas averages 1-2 weeks, Maine averages 2-4 weeks.
Crew installs panels, inverters, and wiring. Most residential installations complete in 1 day. Complex systems (battery, ground-mount) may take 2-3 days.
Local building inspector approves installation. Utility processes interconnection application. Once approved, your system goes live and starts producing.
The federal §48E begin-construction window closed on July 4, 2026. Projects starting now still qualify for the 30% credit, but they generally must be placed in service by December 31, 2027. The total timeline from inquiry to construction start is approximately 3-6 weeks, and NuWatt manages construction and interconnection scheduling to keep your project on track for that placed-in-service date.
Not qualifying for Propel does not mean you cannot go solar. Every solar financing path has different requirements, and there is almost always an option that fits your situation.
Solar leases from Sunrun, SunPower, and others accept credit scores as low as 580-620. You pay monthly for the electricity, the leasing company owns and maintains the system. Available nationwide. Typical savings of 10-30% on electricity bills from day one.
Mosaic, GoodLeap, and Dividend Finance offer solar loans with lower FICO minimums. You own the system from day one. Note: these lenders charge dealer fees of 15-35% that increase the effective cost. Available in 35-48 states.
Buying solar outright means no credit check, no monthly payments, and maximum long-term savings. You will not receive the federal ITC (Section 25D expired), but state incentives may still apply. Payback period is 8-15 years depending on your location.
Community solar programs let you subscribe to a share of a larger solar installation nearby. No rooftop installation, no credit requirements in most programs, available to renters. Typical savings of 5-15% on electricity bills.
If your score is close to 660, targeted credit improvement may get you there in 2-6 months. Pay down credit card balances below 30% utilization, dispute errors, and avoid new credit applications. Then reapply for Propel. Moving from 655 to 665 saves thousands vs using a higher-rate alternative.
Soft credit check. No impact on your score. If Propel is not the right fit, NuWatt will help you find an alternative that works.