Advanced energy businesses collaborate all the time, but often project financing is different enough from technology to technology that the models cannot transfer. Greentech Media covers Noesis Energy's use of an innovative financing model originally designed around solar energy to scale energy efficiency.

Harmon said the company looked to innovations in solar financing and marketplace-building when creating its latest service. "We've studied the solar industry very carefully. I think there are a lot of similarities between solar and efficiency," said Harmon.

Learn more about third-party solar financing from our Policy Podcast with Tom Plant.