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Dividend Solar is expanding NABCEP's Company Accreditation Program to improve the quality of solar installation companies nationwide. By offering its network of installation partners streamlined access to this program, Dividend Solar is supporting its partners' workmanship quality and elevating the standards for quality assurance on all systems that Dividend Solar finances with its $0-down EmpowerLoan.

NABCEP certification is the industry-standard indicator of an individual solar installation professional's expertise and experience, and thousands of individuals hold the NABCEP certification. With the development of the Company Accreditation Program, the installation company - not just individual installers - can now hold a NABCEP credential, creating an additional layer of quality assurance for those companies.

"NABCEP's Company Accreditation Program was designed for companies like Dividend Solar to use as a tool to help qualify contractors nationwide," says Richard Lawrence, NABCEP Executive Director.

"We fully support Dividend Solar's efforts to promote this program. By assisting companies in their Partner Network to become accredited by NABCEP, they are helping to enhance the level of workmanship for rooftop solar across the U.S."

The NABCEP Company Accreditation Program provides a way for residential renewable energy installation companies to distinguish themselves by adhering to a set of industry-recognized best practices. The program establishes a set of benchmark requirements with respect to staffing and policies, and includes independent inspections of installations for quality assurance.

Dividend Solar has built partnerships with quality-focused solar installation companies across the U.S. to offer $0-down solar loans. Dividend Solar's Partner Network consists of leading solar installers nationwide, with all partners undergoing a thorough quality assurance review as part of the onboarding process.

"To join the Dividend Solar Partner Network, installation companies must have a proven track record of quality installations, and we want to make our partners even better," says Chris Doyle, Chief Marketing Officer of Dividend Solar.

"Through this new program with NABCEP, Dividend Solar will offer quality assurance training, discounted education programs and a robust toolkit of business resources to our Partner Network."

Dividend Solar has launched the pilot program with three of its Installation Partners - Solar Gaines, Alder Energy Systems and Solar-Ray - who are expected to be the first NABCEP Accredited companies in their respective states. By offering assistance throughout the application process, Dividend Solar is accelerating the growth of the program and driving improvements in installation quality, thereby lowering the risk for investors in residential solar.

"By reinforcing the quality of the installations that we finance, Dividend Solar can provide investors in residential solar with an additional level of comfort in their investment, and further reduce the cost of capital in the industry," continues Doyle. "As more investors look to fund residential solar projects, the focus on installation quality will be a differentiator, and Dividend Solar is leading the effort to elevate the quality standards in solar."

The announcement of this program coincides with the release of the Solar Access to Public Capital "(SAPC) Best Practices in PV System Installations," which was co-authored by Dividend Solar's Chris Doyle and Andrew Truitt in partnership with Richard Lawrence of NABCEP.

The Installation Best Practices guide was developed to improve solar asset transparency for investors and rating agencies, provide an industry framework for quality management and reduce transaction costs in the solar asset securitization process.