South Carolina Public Service Authority customers, South Carolina · Loan
Smart Energy Loan for Renewable Energy (Santee Cooper)
Run by Santee Cooper
Santee Cooper offers residential customers on-bill loans up to $40,000 at 5.0% for rooftop solar, wind, micro-hydro or biomass generation, repaid over up to 120 months.
Amounts
How much you get
Loans up to $40,000 at the current 5.0% rate with up to 120 months to repay; combined loan maximum $40,000 across Santee Cooper loans.
Eligibility
Do I qualify?
You need to meet all 3 of these.
Approved Santee Cooper residential customer.
Credit approval required.
Work through a Santee Cooper Solar Trade Ally.
What to doChoose a Santee Cooper Solar Trade Ally.
Equipment
What equipment counts
Applying
How to apply
You apply online. Get approved before you buy anything.
- Submit the Renewables Solar Loan Application and Interconnect Application.
- Work with a Santee Cooper Solar Trade Ally on the system.
- Sign loan documents once approved.
Forms and instructionsSantee Cooper: EmpowerSolar (solar options and FAQ)
Questions about applyingenergy.advisor@santeecooper.com
Stacking
Use it with
You can get these too.
South Carolina Public Service Authority customers, South Carolina
Solar Home Rebate (Santee Cooper)
Up to $5,700 back
Santee Cooper pays $950 per kW (AC), up to $5,700, toward rooftop solar installed by a Santee Cooper Solar Trade Ally; the battery portion doesn't count.
Checked Oct 25, 2026
Your address
Next steps
Check that it covers your address. This program has to approve you before you buy anything, so start with the program, not a contractor quote.
Is it available at your address?
Before anything else
Choose a Santee Cooper Solar Trade Ally.
Your quote request is in If a contractor we work with serves your ZIP, they can contact you. We take one request per person; contact us to change it.
Get an email if this program changes
We'll write if its amount, status or deadline changes. Nothing else.
FAQ
Questions
How much does Smart Energy Loan for Renewable Energy (Santee Cooper) pay?
Up to $40,000 loan.
Do I need to be a South Carolina Public Service Authority customer?
Yes. It’s only for homes in South Carolina Public Service Authority customers, South Carolina. See Do I qualify for the details.
Do I have to use a contractor?
Yes. Work through a Santee Cooper Solar Trade Ally.
Do I need approval before I buy?
Yes. Apply before you buy or install anything; purchases made first don’t qualify.
Can I combine it with other rebates?
Yes, with Solar Home Rebate (Santee Cooper). See Use it with.
Is it still available?
Yes. It was open when we last checked, on October 25, 2026.
Plain words
Words used on this page
References
Sources
This page is built from these official pages, run by the program itself.
When one of these pages changes, we re-check this page against it.
Nearby
More in South Carolina
South Carolina Public Service Authority customers, South Carolina
Solar Share Community Solar Rebate (Santee Cooper)
Amount varies
Santee Cooper customers can buy shares of the Colleton Solar Farm in 1 kW blocks and get a $0.75 per watt rebate on up to 6 kW, with monthly bill credits for their share of the output through December 20, 2033.
Checked Oct 25, 2026
All of South Carolina
Property Tax Exemption for Small Renewable Energy Systems (South Carolina)
Amount varies
South Carolina exempts renewable energy systems of 20 kilowatts AC or smaller, such as home solar panels with their inverters and battery storage, from property tax.
Checked Oct 25, 2026
All of South Carolina
Solar Energy, Small Hydropower and Geothermal Tax Credit (South Carolina)
Amount varies
South Carolina income tax credit of 25% of the cost to buy and install a solar energy system, small hydropower system or geothermal heat pump, up to $3,500 a year per facility or 50% of your state tax liability, with unused credit carried forward up to 10 years.
Checked Oct 25, 2026