Solar Lease PPA or Buy
#1
Senior Member

Thread Starter

So most recommended to buy on my last thread so here is what I have. Current have PPA proposal Trinity/Sunnova. Awaiting a cash price proposal form Trinity/Sunova who have a cash price of 25,000 after 5 years to buy out - soI am not expecting the same deal as Tesla. their PA agreement summary is below (2nd and 3rd photo) Problem is Tesla has a good mix awful reviews. But most seem related to a PPA type lease agreement andmaintenance.
I can get more info from the contract but it is spread out over 30 pages :-)
Tesla proposal so far for Purchase
I don't know about the power cost savings but the rest makes sense as nothing is financed. FYI - see what the accountants say . My input was average current billof 225 per month. So I am hoping to get Sunnova to get near the Teslaproce with their LG panels which are supposed to be in the top 3
Tesla Recommends
12.24 kW Solar Panels
Cash Price 24,600
Price After Incentives $16,324
Estimated 25 year savings $63,018
Bottom line with PPA is 130 per month with a gaurantee of producing 75% of my power needs and max monthly escalater of 2.9%. Still unsure of what items will remain on my Eversource bill. I htink mostly for supply charge for electricity panels don't make and some of the other charges ...They need to get back to me.
Details of Sunova agreement below in pictures along with my latest bill which is normally around 230 permonth.
So what sticks out to you experts and especially those that own and thous that have a PPA ??
Thanks I will post a side by side purchase info comparison as I get it.



I can get more info from the contract but it is spread out over 30 pages :-)
Tesla proposal so far for Purchase
I don't know about the power cost savings but the rest makes sense as nothing is financed. FYI - see what the accountants say . My input was average current billof 225 per month. So I am hoping to get Sunnova to get near the Teslaproce with their LG panels which are supposed to be in the top 3
Tesla Recommends
12.24 kW Solar Panels
Cash Price 24,600
Price After Incentives $16,324
Estimated 25 year savings $63,018
Bottom line with PPA is 130 per month with a gaurantee of producing 75% of my power needs and max monthly escalater of 2.9%. Still unsure of what items will remain on my Eversource bill. I htink mostly for supply charge for electricity panels don't make and some of the other charges ...They need to get back to me.
Details of Sunova agreement below in pictures along with my latest bill which is normally around 230 permonth.
So what sticks out to you experts and especially those that own and thous that have a PPA ??
Thanks I will post a side by side purchase info comparison as I get it.




#3
Admirals Club

Did you look at how the carry forward production credits work? I got a load of crap about how much the panels would produce and during the off months how much would carry forward but they did not tell me the credits would expire in the spring right before the summer when you would really need them to offset the cost of AC. It was in the fine print.
#4
Senior Member



Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Suburb of Sugar Tit SC
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Lawd.....I hope you have never been locked up.......
#5
Senior Member

Thread Starter

This is what really gassed my but. They claim it is not a loan or lien but the entire agreement looks like atypical mortgage agreement. It is a financial agreement locking me in to fixed payments - it IS a loan.
Did you look at how the carry forward production credits work? I got a load of crap about how much the panels would produce and during the off months how much would carry forward but they did not tell me the credits would expire in the spring right before the summer when you would really need them to offset the cost of AC. It was in the fine print.
??? Do you mean locked in? Not sure what you are saying......
Thanks for all comments....
Last edited by LI Sound Grunt; 12-04-2020 at 09:01 AM.
#6

I bought a 4.4 kw system from Freedom Forever in May, 2019. They guaranteed the output. Well, the output is down more than 10%, is less than 1 year. I read the contract and it says I need to clean the panels every 6 months, which I was not aware of and did not do yet. They would not tell me how to clean them and suggested I research on google. They are some kind of performance test, said it would be 30 days before I get results. I live in Southern California and we get a lot of sunshine. I'm surprised the out put is down so much in first year. I paid $17,000 out right plus 30% tax credit. Electric rates are between .285 to .465 per KWh.
#8
Senior Member

Thread Starter

Yes. Thank you. Both companies are assuming those rates to begin.
Interesting update. I asked Trinity/Sunnova for a outright purchase price like Tesla gave me, I am awaiting that. What I found so far reading between the lines is they REALLY want you to go with the lease which they insist is not a lease. That is where they make the big bucks. I am going to shop around I guess before finalizing. It would be nice to only pay Eversource the one fixed $9, fee and have a large enough system to generate all my power (averaged out for the year with net metering).
Interesting update. I asked Trinity/Sunnova for a outright purchase price like Tesla gave me, I am awaiting that. What I found so far reading between the lines is they REALLY want you to go with the lease which they insist is not a lease. That is where they make the big bucks. I am going to shop around I guess before finalizing. It would be nice to only pay Eversource the one fixed $9, fee and have a large enough system to generate all my power (averaged out for the year with net metering).
#10
Admirals Club 


If thinking about resale, buyers are super-wary of leased solar.
#11
Admirals Club 


Is your electric rate really .235? It's .105 here last I checked.
#12

If you are referring to my electric rate in California, the rate list from SDGE. Three tiers.
130% of baseline. $.27539
131% to 400% of baseline. $.34675
Greater than 400% of baseline. $.43344
Mind you that the baseline has been reduced over the years. I used to get a baseline of 900 KWh. Now the baseline is 560KWh. The Utilities have raised rates and time of use (TOU) to protect the utility income stream, all approved by the PUC. They are raising rates to force consumers into buying solar systems and then designing rate plans that negate the cost benefit. The highest rates were always during day time when AC use was high. Now that solar produces day time power cheaply and is abundant, the peak rate cost was changed 4pm to 9pm.
130% of baseline. $.27539
131% to 400% of baseline. $.34675
Greater than 400% of baseline. $.43344
Mind you that the baseline has been reduced over the years. I used to get a baseline of 900 KWh. Now the baseline is 560KWh. The Utilities have raised rates and time of use (TOU) to protect the utility income stream, all approved by the PUC. They are raising rates to force consumers into buying solar systems and then designing rate plans that negate the cost benefit. The highest rates were always during day time when AC use was high. Now that solar produces day time power cheaply and is abundant, the peak rate cost was changed 4pm to 9pm.
#13
Senior Member

#14
Junior Member

Resale of your house will be very hard. Maintenance will be on you no matter what they promise. When you need a new roof "whew" the cost to remove store and replace! Research this. This is nowhere near ideal yet. Many years later possibly. Now to many fly by night companies.