Use the LightReach battery-only lease in Sales Mode to finance a standalone battery for a homeowner who already has solar. You set the project up as a retrofit, add a battery from LightReach’s battery-only list, and then select the lease on the financing page.
Note: The LightReach battery-only lease is in beta and available to a limited group of accounts. To ask about access, contact your Account Manager.
In this article:
- Before you begin
- Set up batteries and pricing
- Set up the project as a retrofit
- Add a battery from the battery-only list
- Select the battery-only lease
- Apply for credit and send documents
- Related articles
Before you begin
- The LightReach integration is connected to your account. For setup steps, see How to Configure the LightReach TPO Integration.
- The homeowner’s utility is on LightReach’s list of active utilities for Energy Backup. LightReach offers the lease in select utility territories rather than entire states, and it adds utilities over time.
- The home doesn’t already have a battery. LightReach doesn’t offer the lease for homes with an existing battery system.
- The project in Sales Mode is new or was created after June 1, 2026. If the project was created before June 1, 2026 and previously had LightReach’s solar financing applied, a new project will need to be created.
- The homeowner’s contact information is entered in the project.
- The batteries you plan to offer are available and priced. See Set up batteries and pricing.
Set up batteries and pricing
To appear on the Palmetto LightReach Battery Only tab in Sales Mode, a battery must be enabled in your account, and Show on AVL must be checked for Palmetto LightReach Battery Only in the battery’s Approved vendor list (AVL) section. For details, see Managing Component Visibility Settings.
LightReach prices the lease from the battery’s cost in Aurora. You can price batteries in one of two ways. To price each battery individually, set its Default price per battery on the battery’s page in your component database. To enter one total instead, turn on flat storage pricing so reps can enter it on the Pricing page. For steps, see Pricing and Financing Defaults – Account Configuration. The battery cannot be set in PPW pricing.
Important: If a battery’s price is $0, the lease won’t return pricing.
LightReach also caps the price it finances per battery and may reprice projects that exceed the caps. Before you set prices, check LightReach’s current price caps.
If you can’t edit these settings, ask your admin.
Set up the project as a retrofit
In Aurora, the battery-only lease works with retrofit projects, and it covers the battery only. Before you add the battery, model the homeowner’s existing panels and enter their energy usage. For steps, see PV and Battery Add-On Projects (aka Retrofits).
Note: You can mark panels as part of an existing system only in Design Mode. If you work only in Sales Mode, ask a designer to set up the existing system first. We’re working on a simpler way to enter an existing system’s production directly in Sales Mode, without placing panels.
To finance new panels and a battery together, use a Palmetto LightReach product instead.
Add a battery from the battery-only list
- Open the design in Sales Mode.
- Click the Storage icon in the top navigation bar.
- Click the Battery dropdown.
- Select the Palmetto LightReach Battery Only tab. If you don’t see it, scroll the row of tabs.
- Select a battery. If a battery you expect isn’t listed, see Set up batteries and pricing.
- Set the Quantity. LightReach limits how much existing solar each battery can support, so check LightReach’s sizing guidelines to confirm you have enough batteries.
- Click Done.
Note: LightReach doesn’t finance systems that mix battery manufacturers. If you add more than one battery, use batteries from the same manufacturer.
Select the battery-only lease
In Aurora, the lease appears as Palmetto Battery Lease, and its products are named Lightreach Energy Backup Lease.
- Open the financing page from the top navigation bar.
- In the Selected option dropdown, select Palmetto Battery Lease.
- In the Selected financing product dropdown, select a product. Each product name includes its escalator and term — for example, Lightreach Energy Backup Lease - 0% - 10 years.
- Review the Escalation and Year 1 monthly payment on the financing card.
Products appear only when the system is eligible. If none appear, check Before you begin and confirm the battery came from the Palmetto LightReach Battery Only tab.
Apply for credit and send documents
When pricing loads, click Apply now to open the LightReach credit application in Aurora. LightReach runs a soft credit check, so applying doesn’t affect the homeowner’s credit score. For who qualifies, see LightReach’s credit requirements.
After LightReach approves the homeowner, send LightReach’s documents to the homeowner’s email from the financing card. Once they sign, the homeowner finishes LightReach’s remaining requirements, such as ACH autopay, in their LightReach account.
If you change the battery after the homeowner signs, send the changes to LightReach from the financing card. Most changes, such as the battery quantity, price, or term, need a new contract signature. See LightReach’s change order rules.