Leasing Solar Energy Equipment??

[countrygirl0671]

We want to go solar, but don't have a lot of money.

We learned that there are places that will lease the equipment to you for up to 25 years, and the only cost is the lease of the equipment. They put it up and fix it if it breaks. We just have to maintain it .

They say the cost of leasing is as much or less than our current electric bill. I haven't talked to a rep yet because I just heard about it yesterday.

http://www.solargies.com/

http://www.homesolarusa.com/

I would just like to hear some of your thoughts,please.

Thanks,
Christy

[walls0stone]

isn't that sorta like renting tools, an apartment or furniture? If your going to own it..why don't you just buy it. If you can't buy it...save for it.

[12vman]

IMO..
They must be making money from YOU or they wouldn't be doing it! This would be a fruitless venture for them if they wouldn't..

I'm sure that there wouldn't be any battery back up of any kind. (think minimal system) If the grid goes down, so do you!

I'd be skeptical myself..
~Don

[WileyCoyote]

I understand your hesitation to purchase solar equipment; we have gone round and round about what would be best for the cost, what is provided, what we would have to do to maintain it, etc. If hubby wasn't good at understanding electricity and the basics of generation and storage, I would probably consider what you are considering too.

However, you really need to consider - is it a grid-tied or independent system? Would it carry the load you have now as well as any add-ons, or would you have to (pay to) upgrade? Do they charge for maintenance visits (remembering that the price could go up yearly if they do)? If it breaks and they decide it is your fault (which they can do arbitrarily) for not maintaining it, is it going to cost you more to either replace it or to go back on-grid? I would be VERY cautious about this; a lot of companies are getting into this to make money off of people who have very little understanding of the whole energy supply idea, but who want to do the right thing. Remember that the contract will not be written to protect you, but to protect THEM.

Honestly, I think that you would a lot better off if you would study all of the information and get an understanding of all that is involved with self-generation, as well as what is best for your area, and then purchase a system that fits your needs. Some of the companies extend credit (yes, I know - boo hisss!!!!) so that you can make monthly payments; that might be the way to go - or buy a small system so that you can get an understanding of how it works, and then expand it.

[walls0stone]

hhhhmmm very intresting idea "WC".

What if a client rents the system, the rent money, collectivly pays for upkeep of the pannels in the area....

then the client has the power they need, but all extra power sent back into the grid could be the source of proffits??

In other words, it's like a solar farm, but you mount the pannels on a tenant's house, not in a field were folks may object.

Your renters foot some of the business expence,

As an added pluss to the business owner, The Client is a person watching their pannel for trouble. The customer has an intrests in the quality of the pannel so he/she looks at it each day, or calls as soon as his/her power goes out.

Rather than paying somone to check all of them.

HHMM if it's not actualy the business model, it could be such.

[countrygirl0671]

Thanks for your input.

I had a lot of those thoughts myself, but I tend to be very suspicious of everything, and so sometimes I wonder if I am a little too suspicious!

That's why I like to ask other's for their opinions. It kind of confirms my own suspicions.

I agree with you- we will save up for one. It may take us a few years, but eventually, we will have it.

[ryanmercer]

IMO..
They must be making money from YOU or they wouldn't be doing it! This would be a fruitless venture for them if they wouldn't..

I'm sure that there wouldn't be any battery back up of any kind. (think minimal system) If the grid goes down, so do you!

I'd be skeptical myself..
~Don


They probably have something in their lease that says any energy that goes back into the grid... THEY get the profit for not you... so they lease it to you at a fixed rate for 25 years... a rate comparable with cost of energy now... and if energy rates keep going up... it starts earning them a profit a few years down the road when you aren't using all fo the energy and it is going back into the grid at a tidy little profit to them.