People ask me a lot about leasing Solar but I have never had hard numbers to show them.
I usually say, they are coming to you to get you to do it who do you think it benefits?
Someone asked me to look at a leased solar array that was already installed on a house they are looking to buy.
The array is 12.72 KW Lease payments total cost is 51,069.53 if you buy it out at the end it is for 3,170 total 54,239.53 They are on the second year.
Their first year solar 15,306 KWh
They pay $160 a month and it increases 2.9% a year.
Buyout is more than just prepaying it.
No leak roof has a 10 year guaranteed. So if you shingle your roof you have to pay to take it off and back on.
My array is producing from 18.1 – 19.6 MWh a year
Compare to my array.
My array is 12.5 KW cost $20,000 (no labor) after tax credit $9,000 paid off 4 ½ years. Free power for the next 20+ years.
If you can DIY that is the way to go. Others have posted similar numbers to mine here.