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Understanding Solar Financing

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Solar Financing

Home Solar Financing

Many people think that solar panels are out of their budget, but statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy, show that the cost of photovoltaic solar systems has actually dropped over 65% since 2010. The solar industry has grown substantially over the last 70 years and home solar is more accessible than ever with lower manufacturing costs, increased availability, and the introduction of significant government incentives.

Residential PV (22 Panel System)

Homeowners today are more capable of financing the cost of solar panels through a variety of options, including low-interest loans, leasing, and some help from the federal solar tax credit. Below are all the different financing options available to homeowners who are thinking about or want to go solar.

Financing Solar Panels Can Increase the Value of Your Home

According to CNBC, when you opt to buy or finance solar panels for your home, you can increase the value & equity in your residence by as much as 4.1%! Additionally, a recent study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that installing solar panels added $4 per watt of equity to the homes in the study. If you install a 5kW (5,000-watt solar system) you can potentially increase your home’s equity by $20,000 or more!

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Solar Financing Options

There are many options available to homeowners looking to finance
the cost of their solar panels.

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Solar Loans

Pay off the cost of your solar system over an extended period of time,while replacing your utility bill at the same time.

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Solar Lease/PPA

A third-party financier will own and maintain your solar panels, while you pay for the energy that the solar panels produce.

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Cash Deal

Paying out of pocket is an option for those who are interested in purchasing their system with one upfront payment.

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Residential P.A.C.E.

In select states, the Property Assessed Clean Energy program is available for residential solar financing.

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Loan Amount
Loan Term
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Solar Loan

Solar loans all boast the basic structure of any loan such as the terms and conditions for a home improvement loan. The average interest rate for a solar loan is anywhere between 3-8%. However, some states also provide subsidized solar energy loans that offer rock bottom interest rates.

Short-term loans have higher monthly payments but boast lower total costs during the life of the loan. Usually, you can choose from a five-year loan up to a twenty-year loan. The short-term loan usually has a lower interest rate than the longer-term loan.

You’ll encounter two types
of solar panel loans:

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Secured loan

A secured solar loan uses your
property as collateral for the loan.

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Unsecured Loan

Unsecured loans are typically granted on the good standing of your credit score and positive assessment of your payment history.

SOLAR FINANCING
COMPANIES

Solar Loan Companies

Solar Financing Banks

Solar Financing Credit Unions

Unlike years past there are now excellent financing companies dedicated to Home Solar Financing. These companies, like Loanpal, Sunlight Financial, Mosaic, and Dividend Financing, offer fast and easy approvals for you to finance your solar system. If you have a credit score over 600, you have a great chance of being approved for a Solar Loan with payments so low that many end up saving money every month compared to their current power bill.

Few banks offer solar loans but there is an option to take out an energy efficiency mortgage to finance your solar panels. An energy efficiency mortgage requires a home energy assessment, to confirm that a solar system would increase the property’s energy efficiency. Solar Financing Credit Unions: Credit unions have energy loans available for those who qualify. These energy loans are specifically for financing solar panels and renewable energy. One great example is Community 1st Credit Union, which offers a solar financing option through its EzSolar Loan program.

Unlike years past there are now excellent financing companies dedicated to Home Solar Financing. These companies, like Loanpal, Sunlight Financial, Mosaic, and Dividend Financing, offer fast and easy approvals for you to finance your solar system. If you have a credit score over 600, you have a great chance of being approved for a Solar Loan with payments so low that many end up saving money every month compared to their current power bill.

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Financing Your Solar System with a Credit Card

It is possible to purchase your solar energy system with a credit card depending on your credit limit, though this isn’t always a great decision because of the high interest rates on credit cards. Unless you have a credit card with an introductory 0% APR, you will end up paying a huge amount of money in interest. Even with a 0% APR credit card, it is not always a great idea because the full amount that you charge to your card must be paid off before the deal expires.

See how much your monthly payments would be!

Solar Savings Calculator

Home Solar Lease

A solar panel lease (referred to as a power purchase agreement or PPA) is an option for some. If you meet the following criteria, a PPA could be your best option:

  • Use electricity obtained from a renewable resource.
  • Avoid the added cost of maintaining and repairing the solar system.
  • Do not qualify for any federal or state investment tax credits that some obtain by buying a system.
  • Want to reap the benefits of solar savings immediately and not wait a year or more for a purchased solar system to start paying for itself.
  • No upfront costs

We recommend purchasing your solar system.

However, if purchasing solar panels is not an option then you can explore leasing as a way to potentially save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Solar Calculator

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Paying Cash for Solar

Residential P.A.C.E.

Solar Financing with Bad Credit

Solar systems, just like any large purchase, do not need to be financed through a loan or lease. If you are in a place where one upfront payment is an option, then you do not have to worry about getting approved for a Solar Loan. The downside of paying cash is that you lose the ability to spread out the cost of your system over months or years. Depending on your financial situation, paying cash upfront may not be realistic, while a low-interest solar loan may be a perfect fit. For most solar customers, this is the case.

Solar systems, just like any large purchase, do not need to be financed through a loan or lease. If you are in a place where one upfront payment is an option, then you do not have to worry about getting approved for a Solar Loan. The downside of paying cash is that you lose the ability to spread out the cost of your system over months or years. Depending on your financial situation, paying cash upfront may not be realistic, while a low-interest solar loan may be a perfect fit. For most solar customers, this is the case.

Solar systems, just like any large purchase, do not need to be financed through a loan or lease. If you are in a place where one upfront payment is an option, then you do not have to worry about getting approved for a Solar Loan. The downside of paying cash is that you lose the ability to spread out the cost of your system over months or years. Depending on your financial situation, paying cash upfront may not be realistic, while a low-interest solar loan may be a perfect fit. For most solar customers, this is the case.

Talk with one of our Representatives about your financing options for solar!

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The Federal Solar Tax Credit
& Financing Your Solar System

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Mae and Lee - Burley, ID

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Mae and Lee, a couple from VA saved $7,665 by taking advantage of the federal solar tax credit when they purchased their solar system in 2020

Current Solar Tax Credits

There is a federal tax credit for homeowners who choose to use solar panels to power their home. It allows you to write off 26% of the cost of your solar system from your federal income taxes. It is known as the ITC, investment tax credit.

  • Own your own solar system
  • Pay taxes to the federal government

There is no limit on the value of the tax credit, so you can easily save thousands. In recent years, the cost of installing solar has dropped substantially and with the ITC, it has never been more affordable or readily available. Depending on where you live, your state could also have their own tax rebates available.

Our Recommendations for
Financing Your Home Solar System

Home Solar Purchasing Options: Loan, Cash, Lease
Here is a comparison between the different financing options for your solar system.

There are a number of options available for financing your solar system.
When considering all the options, with all features and benefits, we recommend financing your solar conversion with a solar loan. The reasons and benefits include:

  • Low-interest rates
  • No upfront costs
  • Most accessible and efficient option
  • Greater long-term savings than leasing
  • Reduces or replaces monthly power bill

At Noble Solar, we can help walk you through the easy process for getting a solar loan. We’ve had great success helping customers switch to solar with a solar loan from Sunlight Financial and Loanpal. They both specialize in solar energy loans and make it easy to take advantage of the federal tax credit. They also have competitive interest rates, usually less than 4%, so you pay less for your solar panels and installation.

For more recommendations and information on financing your renewable solar energy system, contact us today!

FAQ

A Solar System for your home or business can vary in cost, but with the energy credits your system produces with the current government incentives, most people can switch to solar without any extra out-of-pocket expense - and many end up saving money immediately vs their current electric bill. Switching to solar has many benefits, some immediate, and some realized over the course of owning your system. These benefits include lifetime savings on your energy costs as well as reduced pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The cost of electricity is always on the rise. When you switch to Solar, you own your own generating station. As the electric company raises their rates, your affordable Solar payment stays the same. Once your system is paid in full, you'll continue to generate electricity for your home at no cost! To see how much you can save, lifetime, click here!

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