The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), backed by the Australian federal government, is investing up to $40 million in Brighte, a fintech company that helps households finance renewable energy projects.
The investment will help reduce loan costs by 2% for home energy upgrades such as solar panels, battery systems, efficient heating and cooling, insulation, and EV chargers.
Brighte will launch a new discounted green loan product ranging from $2,000 to $55,000, with an interest rate of 6.99% and repayment terms between 2 and 10 years.
The CEFC investment is part of the federal government’s Household Energy Upgrades Fund (HEUF), which supports up to $150 million worth of home energy projects across Australia.
Brighte’s founder and CEO, Katherine McConnell, said the deal is a major milestone for the 10-year-old fintech company, which is backed by Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes through his family fund, Grok Ventures.
“With CEFC support under the HEUF, we’re helping more Australian families cut their energy bills, improve comfort, and play a central role in shaping Australia’s clean energy future,” she said.
“Our vendor partners are at the frontline of Australia’s energy transition.”
The funding announcement comes shortly after the federal government launched the Solar Sharer scheme. This program requires energy retailers to offer electricity plans with at least three free hours of power around noon each day — when electricity prices are usually very low or even negative.
The goal is to encourage people to use more power during midday, helping make the energy grid cheaper and easier to manage. Homeowners could use this free power for things like heating water, running air conditioners, charging electric vehicles, or cleaning pools, which would also help reduce demand in the evening.
The scheme will need smart meters, which the government expects all homes to have by 2030. It will start in New South Wales, South-East Queensland, and South Australia from July 2026, and then expand to other states in 2027.
Meanwhile, the government’s $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries subsidy program has already helped over 100,000 households in just four months. The program covers up to 30% of the cost of installing home battery systems.
Brighte has already provided more than $2 billion in green loans to over 200,000 Australian households, helping them invest in solar, batteries, and energy-efficient systems.
Founded in 2015 by Katherine McConnell, a former Macquarie banker, Brighte is backed by investors such as Airtree, Skip Capital, and the Milgrom Family.
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