Tag Archives: solar leases

Power purchase agreements (PPAs): what you need to know

Reading Time: 5 minutes

There are many $0-down financing options available for going solar, including both ownership (i.e. solar loan) or third-party-owned (i.e. leases) solutions. Many homeowners looking for an easy, low-cost, maintenance-free way to install a solar panel system move forward with a power purchase agreement (PPA). In this article, we’ll talk about what solar PPAs are and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this financing solution.

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How much energy does a solar panel produce? Solar panel output explained

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

Power output or wattage is an important factor to consider when comparing solar panel options. You may hear your solar installer say, “it’s a 255 Watt panel” or “the panel I am recommending is has a wattage of 300.” Or, when you are reading a quote from a solar installer, you might see numbers like 245W, 300W, or 345W next to the name of the panel. They are all referring to a solar panel’s wattage, capacity and power output.

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How much does a 6,000 watt (6kW) solar system cost?

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you’ve been looking into going solar, you’ve probably at some point seen quotes for a 6kW solar system. 6kW solar systems are one of the most popular system sizes in the US because in most places they will produce about the right amount of electricity to meet an average household’s daily electrical needs.

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“Free solar panels”: Are they really free?

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

If you’ve been shopping around for a solar panel system, you’ve probably heard at least one company advertise ‘free solar panels’ – that they will install a solar energy system on your roof for free. But, much as with anything, remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch (or a free solar panel).

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Are solar panels worth it?

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Every solar company has a variation of the same sales pitch, “did you know going solar can save thousands of dollars?” They make it sound so easy, but the truth is, whether solar is a smart long-term investment for you depends on a few major factors. So before you buy into the hype, we recommend you use this simple guide to cut through the sales jargon and determine if solar panels are actually worth the money.

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Zero-down solar financing options: which is best for you?

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Installing solar at your home or business has significant financial benefits. In many cases, you can choose a zero down solar financing option and install your system without paying any money up front, leading to instant savings. In this article, we will examine the various options for $0 down solar and the merit of each option.

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Tesla solar renting vs. leasing vs. buying solar panels

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Tesla’s recently announced solar rental program was met with high hopes, as a program with the potential to make solar more accessible to more homeowners. With a sense of how the program works, the question becomes: how do the savings from renting solar panels form Tesla compare to the savings from owning or leasing solar panels?

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Tesla’s solar renting program: what you need to know

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Tesla solar is back. After quarter over quarter of declining solar installations, Elon Musk launched (via tweet, of course) a new product for residential solar: the Tesla solar rental program. The program is a return to Tesla’s SolarCity roots, with a unique twist on the product that made SolarCity the leading national installer of solar prior to its acquisition by Tesla.

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Solar Cost Terminology: Cost Per Watt, $/W and LCOE

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

What should you look at to determine if you’re getting a good deal on solar? There are lots of things to pay attention to when deciding on a solar energy syst em; but two of the most useful metrics for evaluating the cost and value of a solar power offer are price per watt, measured in dollars per watt of energy ($/W), and ‘levelized cost of energy’ (LCOE).

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Cancelling a solar lease contract

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you were to ask your neighbor who installed solar five years ago about how they financed the system, it’s likely that they’re leasing their solar panels from a large, national solar provider like Vivint or SunRun. It was only recently that solar ownership options – either buying the system with cash upfront or financing through a loan – became the more popular option for homeowners investing in new solar panel systems.

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