Palmetto Finance Newsfeed

The Update: ICYMI, we’re officially live with Water Heaters under the Comfort Plan program.

• EPCs can now offer Water Heater installations through the Comfort Plan program
• Standard Comfort Plan underwriting requirements apply, with specific requirements for Installation (M1)
• Program details and installation guidance are available in the Comfort Plan Knowledge Base

Battery Settings and Operational Modes Reminder:

• California NEM 3 utilities must follow the OEM preset modes for NEM 3 (Effective 1/1/2026)
• California NEM 3 customers must have the NEM 3 eligible rate plan selected (Effective 1/1/2026).
• These M2 requirements are required for approval; incomplete or incorrect submissions will be rejected.
• More info Here

The Update: Palmetto is backing the launch of Recheck Certified, a new industry credential built on the existing Recheck ID system.

The Deets: To get Certified, reps must sign a universal code of conduct, pass an industry specific background check, and complete a sales ethics course. Most importantly, certification requires a clean track record of conduct and compliance. Reps with history of violations or misconduct cannot be Certified.

The Impact: Certified will help financiers and installers vet high quality reps. And, it gives customers peace of mind that they're working with a Certified professional with a clean track record.

The Timing: Certified is available now for all representatives nationwide. All platform members are encouraged to sign up. Later in 2026, Certified will become a mandatory requirement for all new NTPs.

The Update: Palmetto is backing the upcoming launch of Recheck Certified, a new industry credential built on the existing Recheck ID system.

The Deets: To get Certified, reps must sign a universal code of conduct, pass an industry specific background check, and complete a sales ethics course. Most importantly, certification requires a clean track record of conduct and compliance. Reps with history of violations or misconduct cannot be Certified.

The Impact: Certified will help financiers and installers vet high quality reps. And, it gives customers peace of mind that they're working with a Certified professional with a clean track record.

The Timing: Initial launch is scheduled for May 2026. Palmetto is encouraging all partners to enroll reps at launch, ahead of mandatory requirement later in 2026.

Reminder: All roof attachments used in a project with a Palmetto Energy plan MUST be sourced from Approved Vendors.

This is mandatory even if the attachments are not listed in the ITC Eligibility Calculator. Projects using unlisted roof attachments will be ineligible for funding.

Context: This is a standing requirement, but we've noted an increase in projects where Partners are attempting to use roof attachments not present on the Solar Energy Plan: AVL & All Things Hardware list.
​

The Update: Three small utilities-- Mohave Electric Coop (AZ), TRICO (AZ), and El Paso Electric (TX) have been removed from our active utility lists for new Solar and Energy Backup sales effective 5/4/26.

Full active utilities available by program at help.palmetto.finance knowledge base.

The Update: To better support our partners and streamline the M1/M2 review process for our Solar Energy Plan, our LightReach QC Experts have published a series of comprehensive guides to the Knowledge Base (help.palmetto.finance).

​The Details: Use these resources to master the M2 submission process, resolve monitoring issues quickly, and ensure every installation aligns with our roof quality standards.
​
​The Takeaway: Our QC team has packaged their expertise into these guides to help partners navigate M1/M2 milestones smoothly and avoid common submission hurdles.
​

The Update: New battery price caps are in place for Solar + Storage sales. Caps apply per unit, per manufacturer.

The Vibe: Caps remain generous to accommodate necessary scope of work where applicable. As always, partners are expected to offer reasonable, competitive pricing to consumers. Consistent or unwarranted price maxing may result in punitive compliance actions.

The Fine Print: View battery caps by manufacturer when generating a solar + storage quote. Caps are applicable by manufacturer, and level across all markets and installers. Note that additional price caps are coming soon to our Energy Backup program as well, details to follow at news.palmetto.finance.

[Solar] New NTP Requirement: All new solar sales will require a customer utility bill at NTP with additional secondary restrictions

[Solar & Energy Backup] As a refresher: Tri-County United (TX) was removed from our Solar Active Utility list. Additionally, Lion & Franklin batteries were removed from our Energy Backup AVL at the beginning of 2026 for FEOC reasons.

Partners can view our newsfeed at our new link: news.palmetto.finance (previously news.golightreach.com).

The Headline: On March 17th, we are deploying the first step in our effort to unify the installer experience into one streamlined platform.

The Details:

• "Streamlined" Installer Support Chat: We’ve simplified chat flows with a scaled-back design. Expect fewer menus and unified support from Sunny AI and our frontline teams regardless of the program you’re working on.
• One Source of Truth: We are launching an updated Singular Knowledge Base (help.palmetto.finance). This knowledge base will cover all applicable programs*: Solar Energy Plan, Energy Backup, Comfort Plan & New Homes in one searchable location, ensuring you have the right answers at your fingertips.

*Note: These updates apply to our widely available programs. Our New Community and DOE Puerto Rico programs will remain in their current specialized Knowledge Bases.

The Fine Print: Lately, our ecosystem has expanded—more programs, more knowledge bases, and changes in the macro and micro business environment. This growth requires an increased level of support, and while growth is good, complexity can sometimes get in the way of what we do best. By removing the silos between our programs and teams, we’re making it easier for installers to scale and succeed.