Solar PPA and Community Solar: Home Solar Installation that You Don’t Buy?
You own your home, but do you have to own your home solar system? If the cost of solar installation is out of reach, you can still get clean energy. A Solar PPA lets someone rent you the power, a solar lease lets someone rent you panels, and a community solar solution lets you share with neighbors. If you agree with why to get solar but can’t figure out how… one of these financial solutions might be the answer.
Solar PPA (Solar Power Purchase Agreements)
Solar PPA (Solar Power Purchase Agreements)In a Solar PPA agreement, you don’t even have to buy your own home solar power system. Instead, you let someone else buy and own a system on your roof.[1]Clean Energy States Alliance They do the installation and maintenance, then sell you clean energy by the kilowatt. You only pay for what you use, just like with a traditional power company. But with a PPA, you know that what you use is green and clean. Signing up for a Solar PPA won’t lead to the same long term financial savings as owning your own power system, but it is a way to cut your carbon footprint and help the planet as a homeowner without the upfront cost of a solar investment.
Community Solar
You can also look at community solar options where you co-purchase a solar power system with neighbors or local allies and share the clean power. This can look like sharing a set of panels with the other residents in an apartment building. It can look like a whole block deciding to link their home solar systems for more juice and stability. It can look like a group of people in a more remote location all running power lines from their houses to a single larger solar panel installation in a field or open space. Creative solutions for sharing solar can come from individuals as well as from non-profits and entrepreneurs. What’s your idea for how to share clean energy with people where you live?[2]US Department of Energy
Solar Leases
A solar lease is a way for an individual homeowner to switch to clean energy without buying or paying installation costs for a home solar system. It usually works sort of like leasing a car. The most common kind of solar lease has a fixed monthly fee for the homeowner plus additional charges per watt for the amount of energy used. The leasing company will install panels on your property, but you won’t be liable for their cost or upkeep. If a solar switch isn’t in your budget, solar leases can help you get everyday clean power and cut your carbon footprint.
Before you decide for sure that owning your own home solar panels is out of financial reach, make sure you’re educated about how to keep your solar installation costs as low as possible. You could be closer to ownership than you think.