Solar leasing, explained simply
Learn the basics of solar leases, PPAs, and solar loans in plain English. These guides can help you compare options, ask better questions, and understand what to check before you sign.
Start with the basics
If you are new to solar, a lease or PPA can sound confusing at first. The good news is that the main idea is simple: you use solar on your home, and a company owns or finances the system under the terms of the agreement.
Compare your choices
Solar leases, PPAs, and solar loans are different ways to pay for solar. A lease or PPA may have lower upfront cost, but the provider usually owns the system and typically claims the federal tax credit. A loan or cash purchase can mean more control and possibly more long-term savings, but the upfront cost is usually higher.
How solar leasing works, step by step
From quote to install to your first lower bill — the full solar leasing process, with no jargon.
Read the guide →Lease vs PPA vs loan: which fits you?
The three main no-cash-down solar paths compared on cost, ownership, savings, and risk.
Read the guide →How solar savings really work
Why your savings depend on your utility rate, sun, system size, and contract terms — and why honest providers quote ranges, not promises.
Read the guide →What's inside a solar lease contract
Escalators, buyout clauses, transfer terms, and the production guarantee — the parts of a solar agreement worth reading twice.
Read the guide →Escalators: why your payment can rise
Many solar leases and PPAs raise your payment a little each year. How escalators work and how to compare them.
Read the guide →Selling a home that has a solar lease
Transferring or buying out a solar lease when you sell — what to expect and how to plan ahead.
Read the guide →Solar incentives and who actually gets them
Federal and state incentives, and why with a lease or PPA the provider — not you — usually claims the tax credit.
Read the guide →Questions to ask before you sign
The questions that separate an honest solar offer from a high-pressure one — on price, escalators, guarantees, and what happens if you move.
Read the guide →How to avoid solar sales pressure
Door-to-door and phone solar sales can be pushy. How to slow down, compare offers, and never sign on the spot.
Read the guide →Going solar as a new or immigrant homeowner
Credit, language, and contract concerns new homeowners often have about solar — addressed in plain language, in your language.
Read the guide →Thinking about going solar?
Compare a lease, a PPA, and a loan first — then get matched, free, with vetted providers near you. You compare and choose who to hire, and you confirm every number before you sign.