Clean Energy Credit Union

What Clean Energy Credit Union does

Clean Energy Credit Union (legal name: Clean Energy Federal Credit Union) is a federally chartered, member-owned not-for-profit credit union founded in 2017 and headquartered in Englewood, Colorado. It operates exclusively online — no physical branches — while accessing 32,000+ MoneyPass ATMs and 5,600+ CO-OP shared branches nationwide, and serves members in all 50 states. The credit union's stated purpose is to reduce the cost of financing clean energy technologies by recycling deposits directly into renewable energy loans.

The product portfolio centers on clean energy lending: Solar PV loans ($3K–$150K, 12–20 year terms at 7.50%+ APR), Geothermal Heat Pump loans, Secured and Unsecured Green Home Improvement loans (APR floor of 5.24% secured), Electric Vehicle and Electric Bicycle loans, Share-Secured loans, and a Refinance program. Complementary retail banking products include Rewards Checking (up to 3.56% APY), Savings, Certificates (6 months–5 years), Money Market, and Traditional/Roth IRAs, plus business checking/savings/certificates. Member-facing technology is delivered through Digital Insight-powered iOS and Android apps, a web banking platform, the Blueprint dealer-facing loan origination portal (Google Authenticator 2FA), ID-Pal identity verification, and Card Hub card controls.

Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on the loan portfolio (APR range 5.24%–9.49%, with a 2.00% autopay discount), supplemented by loan processing fees ($150 per loan), UCC-1 lien filing fees ($100–$350 by state), and ancillary banking fees. The institution receives philanthropic support from foundations including Energy 4 the Future, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, New Belgium Foundation Family, the LP Brown Foundation, the Innovo Foundation, and the Energy Foundation — donations that the credit union states are leveraged 14-to-1 into clean energy loan capital. Customer acquisition runs through direct-to-consumer digital channels (website, app, content marketing, webinars), plus a channel network of 40+ clean energy partners including the Amicus Solar Cooperative installer network and 20+ field-of-membership environmental organizations.

Name

Clean Energy Credit Union

Legal name

Clean Energy Federal Credit Union

Website

https://cleanenergycu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clean Energy Credit Union is a federally chartered, online-only not-for-profit credit union that finances residential solar, geothermal, EV, e-bike, and green home improvement projects for individual consumers, partner installers, and small businesses across all 50 U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Energy Finance and Credit Union Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

Keywords

• Clean energy loans
• Solar panel financing
• Green home improvement
• Electric vehicle loans
• Member-owned banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interest Income on Clean Energy Loans: As a not-for-profit credit union, Clean Energy Credit Union generates revenue primarily through interest charged on clean energy loans including solar PV systems, geothermal heat pumps, green home improvements, electric vehicles, and electric bicycles. Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $150,000 with terms from 3 to 20 years at rates from 5.24% to 9.49% APR.
2. Deposit Account Fees and Services: Revenue from checking, savings, money market, certificate accounts, and IRA accounts. Includes potential loan processing fees ($150 per loan), UCC-1 lien filing fees ($100-$350 depending on state), and other banking service fees.
3. Donations and Foundation Support: The credit union receives donations from foundation donors including Energy 4 the Future, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, New Belgium Foundation Family, LP Brown Foundation, Innovo Foundation, and Energy Foundation. These contributions help expand mission activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Clean Energy Credit Union is a federally chartered, not-for-profit, member-owned credit union that provides fossil fuel-free banking and clean energy lending products. Its core offerings include solar PV loans, geothermal heat pump loans, green home improvement loans, electric vehicle and electric bicycle loans, supported by a full suite of consumer and business deposit accounts. The credit union operates exclusively online across all 50 states and recycles 100% of deposits into renewable energy loans.

Product overview

Clean Energy Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of fossil fuel-free financial services organized around a single mission: accelerating the clean energy transition. The portfolio centers on clean energy lending products including Solar PV System Loans, Geothermal Heat Pump System Loans, Green Home Improvement Loans, Electric Vehicle Loans, and Electric Bicycle Loans. These loans are complemented by consumer banking products (checking, savings, certificates, money market, IRAs) and business banking accounts. The company operates as an online-only institution, delivering services through its Online & Mobile Banking platform and Blueprint Portal for dealer-originated loans. All deposits are recycled directly into renewable energy loans, creating a circular green financial model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solar PV System Loans Financing for residential solar photovoltaic systems, with loan amounts from $3,000 to $150,000, terms of 12-20 years, and APRs as low as 7.50%. Includes a 60-day no-payment, no-interest period and no prepayment penalties. Targets homeowners seeking to install rooftop solar.
• Geothermal Heat Pump System Loans Loans for residential geothermal/ground-source heat pump installations with amounts from $3,000 to $150,000, terms of 12-20 years, and APRs as low as 7.50%. Targets homeowners seeking to upgrade HVAC systems to geothermal.
• Green Home Improvement Loans Secured and unsecured loans for qualifying green home improvements such as HVAC, water heaters, insulation, windows, and weatherproofing. Loan amounts up to $75,000 (secured) or $50,000 (unsecured), with secured APRs as low as 5.24%.
• Electric Vehicle Loans Auto loans for electric vehicles offering competitive rates and flexible terms to make EV financing affordable while supporting clean transportation. Targets individual consumers purchasing EVs.
• Electric Bicycle Loans Financing for electric bicycles to enable fossil-fuel-free transportation with affordable monthly payments. Targets individuals seeking e-bike purchases.
• Clean Energy for All Loan Program Discounted loan program offering reduced rates to make clean energy financing accessible to lower-to-moderate income borrowers and underserved communities.
• Loan Refinance Program Program allowing borrowers to refinance existing solar loans, potentially lowering monthly payments and bundling additional upgrades such as battery storage or EV chargers into a single loan.
• Share Secured Loans Secured loans using the member's existing credit union savings as collateral, providing access to funds while preserving the savings balance.
• Rewards Checking Accounts Tiered rewards checking accounts offering APY up to 3.56%, no monthly fees, climate-friendly bio-based debit cards, and access to over 32,000 MoneyPass ATMs. Requires direct deposit, minimum balance, and qualifying debit card transactions.
• Savings Accounts

Quantifiable outcome

• Donations are leveraged 14-to-1 to fund clean energy loans
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AtmoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2025Atmos, a climate-focused fintech company, announced it will transition its deposit program to Clean Energy Credit Union over two months to focus exclusively on clean energy lending for financial institutions across the country. The shift allows Atmos to exit the banking services business while maintaining uninterrupted service for existing customers during the transition period. Going forward, Atmos plans to work alongside banks, credit unions, and community lenders to accelerate clean capital deployment in the energy transition.
• Amicus Solar CooperativecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClean Energy Credit Union has partnered with Amicus Solar Cooperative to provide members with special deals for installing solar electric systems on their homes. Amicus is a certified B-Corporation and Colorado Public Benefit Corporation, a purchasing cooperative democratically owned by 50+ member-companies in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Amicus member-companies collectively have over 60 office locations in 33 states with an average company age of over 16 years.
• American Solar Energy Society (ASES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASES serves as the 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for Clean Energy Credit Union, thereby facilitating tax-deductible donations to support the mission. ASES is also the founding field of membership organization. Established in 1954, ASES is one of the nation's leading associations of solar advocates and professionals and is the U.S. section of the International Solar Energy Society.
• Green AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen America (established 1982) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to harness economic power to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Green America certifies Clean Energy Credit Union through its Green Business Network.
• Solar United NeighborscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSolar United Neighbors is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to representing the needs and interests of solar owners and supporters. It helps people go solar, join together, and fight for their energy rights. CECU partners with SUN to offer free membership to potential members joining through this organization.
• African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAACUC was established in 1999 to increase the strength of the global credit union community through advocacy and professional development. Members of AACUC are eligible to join Clean Energy Credit Union.
• Maryland Clean Energy Advantage (CEA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClean Energy Credit Union participates in the Maryland Clean Energy Advantage (CEA) Loan Program, providing 0% financing for the first 24 months and reduced interest rates on green home improvement loans for projects approved through the CEA program.
• NYSERDAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClean Energy Credit Union is an authorized dealer for NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) programs, enabling New York residents to access clean energy financing.
• Colorado RENU ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClean Energy Credit Union is an authorized dealer for the Colorado RENU (Residential Energy Upgrade) Program, enabling Colorado residents to access clean energy financing.
• SK2 FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSK2 Fund uses Clean Energy Credit Union for full-service banking with direct and measurable environmental impact, enabling depositors to invest in alignment with their mission and values.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SoFi Bank: Large digital-first consumer bank offering competitive deposit and personal loan rates nationwide; competes for the same online, rate-sensitive consumer/member base as CECU.
• Ally Bank: Top direct/online consumer bank with broad deposit and auto lending products; competes for online high-yield checking/savings and indirectly for clean-energy vehicle loan demand.
• Amalgamated Bank: Publicly traded B Corp bank long focused on socially responsible deposits and progressive values; addresses overlapping ESG-conscious consumer and business banking demand at much larger scale.
• Sunlight Financial: Residential solar loan platform serving installer and consumer demand at scale; broader incumbent in the same residential clean energy lending vertical.

Direct peers

• GreenState Credit Union: Iowa-based credit union with a notable sustainability focus and fossil-free stance; competes for mission-driven depositors nationwide and offers similar community/values-based banking.
• Atmos Financial: Climate fintech that transitioned its deposit program to CECU in 2025 while continuing to focus on clean energy lending; a partner and direct peer in the same climate-fintech space.
• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Community development and mission-driven credit union serving low-income and underserved members; comparable as a non-traditional federal credit union extending consumer credit to specific populations.
• Ando (climate fintech): Climate-focused banking/fintech offering fossil-free deposit products that fund clean energy loans; competes in the same mission-driven banking niche as CECU.
• Mosaic (solar financing): Direct-to-consumer solar loan platform; competes with CECU's solar PV and home-improvement loan products within the same residential clean energy financing category.
• Aspiration Bank: Online consumer bank focused on fossil-free deposits and sustainable spending/purchases; closest direct peer to CECU's climate-aligned depository and lending model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CleanEnergyCU
• Facebookfacebook.com/cleanenergycu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clean-energy-credit-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/cleanenergycreditunion

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clean Energy Credit Union