We recently took a deep dive into our 2024 performance, and I wanted to share some of the most compelling insights with our community. These data tell a story—not just about our growth, but about how we've refined our approach to accelerating renewable energy adoption in the Global South. You can find the first installment here.

How Did Users Spend Their Repayments?

We recently analyzed our 2024 performance data, and one trend stood out: most users either reinvest their repayments or let their balance grow, while only a small fraction withdraw. This speaks volumes about our community’s commitment to accelerating solar adoption in the Global South.

Here’s how repayments were used:

🔄 Reinvested in More Solar

Two-thirds of all repayments were redeployed into new solar projects, amplifying users' impact over time. This number jumped significantly in October, when we introduced Auto-Redeploy, a feature that automatically reinvests repayments once a balance exceeds $25. While we initially hesitated to make investing more passive, user demand and growing cash balances made it clear that this was a necessary step.

💰 Held as a Balance

About one-third of repayments remain in user accounts, often accumulating until a user has enough to make their next investment. Some prefer a hands-on approach and wait to personally select a solar project, while others may simply be pausing before reinvesting. Either way, these balances represent future potential for accelerating renewable energy adoption.

🏦 Withdrawn

Only about 5% of repayments have been withdrawn—half the rate seen on Kiva.org. Many users withdraw a small amount at first to test the system before committing more funds. Others may shift their support to different philanthropic causes. The low withdrawal rate reinforces that most users see Renewables.org as a long-term commitment rather than a one-time donation.

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👀 Peek Behind the Curtain: Why We Introduced Auto-Redeploy

At its core, Renewables.org was designed to be an engaging experience, where users actively choose which solar project to fund next. That’s why we initially resisted automation—if people were excited to reinvest, why remove the decision-making?

But the reality was different. Large cash balances were sitting idle, and user requests for an automatic reinvestment option kept growing. We realized that while some users want full control, others just want their funds to keep working for impact without constant management.

This was especially true given the introduction of Donor Edition, which allows users to deduct their investments, but does not allow them to ever withdraw

Rather than forcing engagement, we decided to let users opt in—and the results spoke for themselves. Reinvestments spiked in October, proving that automation could work alongside user-driven investment decisions.

In the future, we hope to have the resources to create a platform so compelling you'll wanna check into your 'virtual rooftop' everyday. But for now, we recognize many users would prefer a more hands off approach.

Looking Ahead

This data reinforces what we’ve always believed: our community is deeply committed to scaling solar adoption. Auto-Redeploy helped unlock more reinvestments, but even without it, most users are choosing to keep their funds within Renewables.org.

Whether you reinvest, hold a balance, or withdraw, your participation helps us advance our mission to accelerate Global South solar adoption.