Comments on: SunRun Solar Lease: 5KW Example

By: mamufas

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:47:27 +0000

I think Leasing a residential solar system has no value in it what so ever. If you get your self into a lease the only one getting a deal is the lease company. Think about it for a minute, do the math and rethink before signing a contract for 18 years.

As a home owner the PPA or Lease company is trying to sell you on going green. They don’t tell you that the solar property owner the takes every avaiable tax credit, grant, state incentive, depreciation or local incentive. The only benefit to the homeowner is meager savings at best. Most lease and PPA deals for residential application only save the host customer between 10%-15%, turning off lights and changing your old bulbs to CFL will accomplish just that. The best part about that is NO 18 year contract. Do the math, and you will see a PPA or residential lease is a loser deal.

By: Marcelo

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:31:27 +0000

I read SunRun home owner lease applies for Fed incentives to reduce the price of their leased systems. Today I read Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac argue that PACE ultimately results in a lien on the property. If SunRun gets money from PACE that means the home owner ultimately gets a lien on the property how this works? I haven’t found any info about what happens if the HO wants to sell the house that is leasing from SunRun. I assumed early contract termination has some kind of penalties… how much?

By: JohnF

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:52:19 +0000

Thanks for the article. I’m going to post this on my Facebook page so that others can read it and have more information since SunRun’s ads are popping up there. Good job calculating the costs and ROI and saving me the trouble. It’s always best to get multiple quotes from multiple sources, and have a legal person look over the paperwork for hidden costs or ‘gotchas’. The solar hot water heater program sponsored by SRP in Phoenix sounds great, but in exchange for saving 50% on the system, you give up 100% of your carbon credits for the life of the unit. Read and understand is the best advice.

By: Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred"

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:32 +0000

Thanks, Sydney.The SunRun Total Solar is certainly one way to go if you're going to dip into home equity.We want to be open for discussion here on solarfred, so I would point out that this particular SunRun PPA program compares to buying a system, as Sydney mentioned. However, long term, financially, depending on the purchase price, you may be better off with a straight purchase with a maintenance agreement that some installers offer, especially if you pay a lot in taxes and can benefit quickly from the 30% tax credit.That being said, if you don't pay a lot in taxes or you want to upgrade to the latest solar technology in 18 years, this is a good way to go just paying for the power. And SunRun does contract with very experienced installers, so you'll be well taken car of. Plus, no worries about the cost replacement for the inverter in 12 years. Bottom line, it's always a good idea to get different quotes if you're going to dip into home equity. Make the decision that feels right for you.

By: castisquid

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:30:31 +0000

Hi there! Sydney from SunRun again A lot of our customers actually use their home equity to go with SunRun Total Solar. It's a "PPA" (or a "lease") where you pay for all the power NOW instead of over time. So, essentially, it's a lot like buying solar panels in that you don't have a monthly bill. But, you get the added benefits of SunRun maintaining your system AND you don't have to file for/wait on the federal tax credit. We credit you for the tax credit right away and wait on the IRS ourselves. Just thought I'd throw it out there since it's such a popular option with our customers!