Power purchase agreements may be available for customers who prefer an alternative to traditional ownership. Availability depends on the provider, your property and program terms. We walk through contract length, any escalator, and transfer terms before you sign.

Do I need to own my home?

Yes. Solar is a permanent modification to the property, so the homeowner of record must be party to the agreement. For rental or investment property, the owner signs.

What happens if I sell my house?

An owned system generally transfers with the property. A loan is typically paid off at closing or assumed by the buyer. A PPA or lease requires the buyer to qualify and assume the agreement. If a move is likely in the next few years, tell us — it should influence which structure you choose.

PPA Options

Solar Power Purchase Agreements, Explained Plainly

Under a PPA you do not buy the system. A third party owns it, maintains it, and sells you the electricity it produces at an agreed rate.

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How it works

What you are actually signing

The provider installs, owns, monitors and maintains the equipment on your roof. You pay for the energy it produces, typically under a long-term agreement with defined terms for how that rate changes over time.

PPAs can suit customers who want no upfront cost and no responsibility for the hardware, and who do not need the ownership benefits that come with buying. They are not automatically better or worse than a loan — they are a different trade.

The four clauses that matter: contract length, any annual escalator, transfer terms if you sell the home, and what happens at the end of the agreement. We walk through all four before anyone signs.

Side by side

Cash vs Loan vs PPA

The honest comparison, without steering you toward whichever pays us most.

	Cash	Loan	PPA
Upfront cost	Full system price	Often $0 down for qualified customers	Typically no upfront cost
Who owns the system	You	You	The third-party provider
Incentive eligibility	You, subject to your tax situation	You, subject to your tax situation	The system owner
Maintenance responsibility	You, backed by warranties	You, backed by warranties	The provider, per the agreement
What you pay monthly	Nothing after purchase	Fixed loan payment	A rate per kWh produced
If you sell the home	Transfers with the property	Paid off at closing or assumed	Buyer must qualify and assume the agreement
Total long-term cost	Usually the lowest	Depends on rate, term and any fee financed	Depends on rate and any annual escalator

PPA availability depends on the provider, your property, credit review and program terms. Not all customers or properties qualify. Solar production, bill offset and payment comparisons vary by home, usage, roof, shading, utility rate schedule and financing terms. Nothing on this site is a guarantee of savings.

Find your fit

Which structure fits your situation?

Tell us your timeline and priorities and we will tell you which of the three actually makes sense.

Answers

PPA questions

Next step

Not sure whether to own or not?

Ten minutes on the phone is usually enough to narrow it to one or two structures worth modeling.

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