Are "Free Solar Panels" Truly Free Of Cost?

When you are alive on the earth, have a telephone, and are a homeowner, chances are a solar panel salesperson has approached you.  Often you might even hear of a way for you to get free solar panels. However, let's explore what that would mean for us. "Buyer beware" is conventional wisdom, and that phrase should pop into your mind quickly if you come across a sales or marketing pitch promoting free solar panels.

If you dig deeper into any offer of free solar panels is that they aren't free. You'll pay for them in one way or another, even though it may not fetch you anything to have the solar panels, as well as the inverters, wiring, etc. that goes into a practical solar home energy system, installed and brought up and running initially, there will be fees.

Free Solar Panels in 2018?

Industry leaders, those known as third-party-owned (TPO) solar lease companies have grown into multi-billion dollar businesses by taking precisely that approach. Offering to install a home solar energy system for nothing down, pioneering residential solar finance providers, such as SolarCity (or Tesla-SolarCity), Sunrun and Vivint, own, manage and maintain customers' rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

The economics, and investment, of residential solar, is undergoing a shift, however; one fueled by the ongoing drop in installed costs and ratcheting down of the 30 percent federal solar investment tax credit (ITC). Contributing to a shift towards taking out a loan to fund a home solar installation instead of signing a lease contract, growing numbers of TPO solar lease customers have come to realize that the leasing companies have been retaining the bull's share of the value derived from a home solar system.

The continuing decline in installed solar costs is making home solar more affordable for more Americans. Joined with the scaling down of the maximum 30 percent ITC that's driving a shift from TPO solar leases to solar loans. The ITC is scheduled to begin reducing come 2020, dropping down to 10 percent in 2022 and holding at that level after that.

Are Free Solar Panels Free?

Also, other types of free solar panel or energy offers are out there. The essence of the message is that you may be able to acquire solar panels for free if you're responsible for doing some research, and probably at least a fair amount of negotiating and physical legwork. Notably, some websites suggest that those looking to obtain solar panels for free search for and negotiate with homeowners upgrading their solar PV systems to haul away their used solar panels for free. Another recommended option is taking a similar approach by offering to do the same for solar energy installation firms.

You may undoubtedly wind up obtaining solar panels for free by following these approaches. They are not free, nevertheless.

If you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much you can save over the next 20 years by going solar, and we can help find local solar installers who can help. For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.