ᐅ Solar power system for rent – is this offer worthwhile?

Created on: 28 Sep 2021 08:12
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MaxMustaman92
Hello,

We are considering having photovoltaic panels installed on our house by a company through a rental agreement. Instead of purchasing a solar system outright (which would require a substantial initial investment), the company offers the option to rent the solar panels on a monthly basis. The company takes full responsibility over the next 20 years for installation, maintenance, repairs, and eventual removal of the system.

The offer includes:

- eighteen 370 W high-performance solar panels producing 6,154 kWh (757 kWh self-consumption, 5,397 kWh feed-in)

- one inverter

- one smart electricity meter

- option to purchase the system after 20 years

Costs: €76 monthly, increasing to €91 from the 25th month onward.

We are close to making a decision, especially since mandatory solar system installation for homeowners is likely to be introduced soon.

Do you have any advice, comments, concerns, or experiences to share before we sign the contract?

Roof of a house with many solar panels on red tiles, chimney, and satellite dish.
Tolentino28 Sep 2021 09:26
If you truly consume only 757 kWh per year, you should focus more on a guide to saving electricity.
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RotorMotor
28 Sep 2021 10:16
MaxMustaman92 schrieb:

I’m a bit stuck: Why would I even get such a system right now?

For the environment.

Well, many have already mentioned that these rental models are too expensive.
But surely the offer included some great economic calculations, right?
Mahri2328 Sep 2021 11:51
It is important to estimate your self-consumption as high as possible. I also don’t believe your annual self-consumption is only 757 kWh. The higher, the better, and your system will pay off much faster if you buy or finance it. I do not recommend renting.
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guckuck2
28 Sep 2021 12:03
Let's not get into the debate of photovoltaic systems yes or no.
This is about a financing model. The original poster wants to lease instead of buy. Whether this is worthwhile requires a comparison of both financing options.
At first glance, the presented offer seems catastrophically bad. However, there may be reasons to do it this way (no cash available, no creditworthiness for external financing, etc.).
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MaxMustaman92
28 Sep 2021 12:57
1,700 kWh is the annual average self-consumption here. The 7xx kWh are only fed into the grid by the system according to the bill.