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Fintech, BPI offer solar home mortgage

Business | Banking & Finance

Fintech, BPI offer solar home mortgage

By Khriscielle Yalao

Asian solar fintech platform Helios has tapped the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to offer homeowners a residential loan package that includes solar energy solutions.

Being the first of its kind, the solar mortgage is available for loan options as low as P400,000 to over P10 million, covering new home purchases and existing homes that want a solar upgrade.

The solar mortgage is the first of its kind, according to Helios Co-Founder Alex Aronson, and offers a seven percent interest rate with a seven-year fixing period with up to P70,000 waiving fees.

“The idea is the green loan with BPI is cash flow positive, meaning the savings you unlock from adding solar to your home will be larger than any payment capacity,” explained Aronson.

Around 100 new homeowners have joined the mortgage program which was rolled out in the final quarter of last year.

Through the solar mortgage, households can cut electricity costs by five percent from the 30 percent currently spent by homeowners on utility costs alone, said Helios, all while being energy efficient and climate conscious.

“We help our consumers who are servicing home loans make their home more affordable,” said Aronson.

Helios has already partnered with solar power developer Longi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. to provide 25-year guaranteed solar mortgages to homeowners.

The firm plans to install solar panels on 20 million homes in the Southeast Asian region in the next seven to 10 years.

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