Are Solar Panels Good Idea

For one lessees won t qualify for tax incentives.

Are solar panels good idea.

Also known as photovoltaic panels they are mounted on the roof of a house and use sunlight to produce electricity. While certain panels will have higher efficiency ratings than others investing in top of the line solar equipment doesn t always result in higher savings. We simply do not recommend it. Solar leasing does have some drawbacks potential lessees should pay attention to.

Why leasing isn t a bright idea. Leasing solar panels for your home is not a good idea from a financial perspective. On the surface it certainly sounds like a sweet deal but as we pointed out not long ago free solar panels are not exactly free. Ostensibly it s win win for both you and the solar company.

Even the incentives are designed for those with a decent level of income. Solar panels definitely vary in quality. As states continue to emphasize solar see california s solar panel mandate leasing could be an affordable option for many residents. For example the federal tax credit of 30 is attractive only to those with the income to generate a tax liability high enough to take advantage of it.

Why loans make more sense than leases or ppas. Buying solar panels requires an investment and more decision making than leasing but over the long term the benefits of owning your system are hard to beat. A significant detractor when it comes to diy solar panel installation is that the home solar panels you can pick up at home improvement stores aren t as powerful as ones that licensed contractors can buy. It s important to have a basic idea of how the panels work as well.

Thanks to substantial electricity bill savings the average american homeowner pays off their solar panel system in seven to eight years and sees an roi of 20 percent or more. Solar installations are realistically available only to homeowners who are financially secure and have good credit. There are multiple variables to consider when seeking out the best solar panels on the market. You pay for the electricity that the panels produce and in doing so over the course of of a 10 to 20 year contract you pay for the system and then some.

Unsurprisingly california leads the nation in residential solar capacity but some of the others in the top 10 may surprise you. For more peace of mind you could choose tier 1 panels which have a better reputation for performance and quality mr barnes suggests getting recommendations and shopping around for installers while avoiding door to door sales tactics. Problems with solar leasing. Solar panels aren t an expense they re one of the best ways to invest with returns rivaling those of more traditional investments like stocks and bonds.