Solar loan defaults surge, hitting Wall Street investors - WSJ

Published 10/07/2025, 12:14
© Reuters.

Investing.com -- Surging defaults on residential solar panel loans are causing problems for bond investors and private-credit funds on Wall Street.

Some bonds connected to GoodLeap, a financial-technology company that provides loans for solar installations, have stopped paying interest due to higher-than-expected homeowner defaults, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter.

These solar bonds represent one segment of a growing ecosystem created by nonbank lenders like GoodLeap, which use artificial intelligence and financial expertise to simplify borrowing for Americans. These "fintechs" serve as intermediaries between consumers and debt investors, but rising interest rates have increased loan payments, causing more borrowers to fall behind.

Companies including GoodLeap, Sunnova Energy International (OTC:NOVAQ), and Mosaic provided loans to homeowners through local dealers who sold panels door-to-door.

Problems are now emerging throughout this network, demonstrating how the combination of private-credit and complex bonds can create difficulties. Several of GoodLeap’s competitors filed for bankruptcy protection in June, and some bonds backed by solar loans are trading at significant discounts.

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