Data as of Aug 25, 2026 · Based on 299 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
Brands AI recommends here
Named in 17% of answers
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Source | Citation share |
|---|---|
 Client Challengehttps://www.expressnews.com/news/article/rooftop-solar-energy-loans-texas-hidden-fees-19913827.php | 5.7% |
 Solar Financing Options: Loans, Leases, PPAs, and Cashhttps://poweroutage.us/solar/solar-financing-options | 4.8% |
 "Interest-Free" Solar And Battery Bundles - What You Should Knowhttps://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/no-interest-solar-considerations-mb2342/ | 3.9% |
 The Truth Behind No-Cost Solar and No-Money-Down Financing - Green Ridge Solarhttps://greenridgesolar.com/no-cost-solar-no-money-down-financing-misleading/ | 3.6% |
 Issue Spotlight: Solar Financing | Consumer Financial Protection Bureauhttps://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/issue-spotlight-solar-financing/ | 2.7% |
 Zero-Down Solar Loans in the U.S: Full 2025 Guide - solarfacts.inhttps://solarfacts.in/zero-down-solar-loans-in-the-u-s-full-2025-guide/ | 2.1% |
Consumer advisory: Steer clear of costly and complex loans for solar energy installation | Consumer Financial Protection Bureauhttps://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/consumer-advisory-steer-clear-of-costly-and-complex-loans-for-solar-energy-installation/ | 2.0% |
 A Closer Look Into The Hidden Costs of Interest-Free Financehttps://www.snapsolar.com.au/the-hidden-costs-of-interest-free-finance-for-solar/ | 1.7% |
 Why Clean Energy Credit Union is the Best Solar Lenderhttps://exactsolar.com/clean-energy-credit-union/ | 1.6% |
 Why Comparing Cash Quotes for Solar Panels Is Crucial for ...https://blog.cleanenergypros.org/why-comparing-cash-quotes-for-solar-panels-is-crucial-for-homeowners/ | 1.5% |
Evaluating a "no-money-down" solar offer requires stripping away the marketing and looking closely at the core financial mechanics. Installers often bundle financing fees (dealer fees) or jack up the equipment cost when they advertise $0 upfront. Here is how a homeowner can unmask hidden costs and evaluate the real…
Evaluating a "no-money-down" solar offer requires stripping away the marketing and looking closely at the core financial mechanics. Installers often bundle financing fees (dealer fees) or jack up the equipment cost when they advertise $0 upfront.
Here is how a homeowner can unmask hidden costs and evaluate the real value of the deal:
Request a dedicated, itemized cash purchase price for the exact same system design. If the company claims the system costs$2 5,0 0 0 in cash, but the financed "no-money-down" total cost balloons to$3 8,0 0 0 for the same hardware, you are paying a massive hidden markup disguised as financing.
Ask for the specific dealer fee (the upfront fee the installer pays the lender to offer a low promotional interest rate, like 1.9% or 2.9%). Dealer fees can range from 1 5% to over 3 0% of the loan amount. If a$2 0,0 0 0 loan has a 2 5% dealer fee,$5,0 0 0 vanishes straight into financing costs before a single solar panel is bolted to your roof.
Divide the total system cost (before incentives) by the total DC wattage of the system to find your price per watt (e.g., a$2 4,0 0 0 system for a 7,0 0 0 -watt array is$3.4 2 per watt). In the current market, residential solar averages roughly$2.8 0 to$3.2 0 per watt for cash/standard deals; anything significantly higher—especially on a 0 0 0 -down promo—usually signals an inflated price.
Get a baseline financing quote from a local bank or credit union that offers dedicated solar or home improvement loans with transparent terms (even if the interest rate looks higher on paper). Compare the total cost of ownership over 10 to 20 years between the installer's "in-house" 0 0 0 -down loan and an independent low-fee loan plus a separate cash-price contract.
Ensure the 3 0% federal tax credit (0.3 0×C o s t ) is calculated based on the fair market value of the hardware and installation, not an artificially inflated total that includes predatory dealer fees. (Note: While dealer fees are sometimes technically eligible for the tax credit depending on IRS guidelines, an inflated base cost artificially skews your financial return).
Do not just look at the monthly payment. Multiply the monthly payment by the total number of months in the loan term, add any escalators (if it is a lease/PPA rather than a loan), and subtract expected utility bill savings. A low monthly payment stretched across 25 years often results in paying triple the system's actual value.
If you'd like, let me know:
I can help you calculate the price-per-watt and estimate the hidden dealer fee impact.
No sources cited
A “$0-down” solar offer is **not necessarily cheap**. The key is to separate the **price of the solar system** from the **cost of financing it**. The CFPB has found cases where solar-loan fees increased the financed principal by **30% or more above the cash price**, while the advertised interest rate still looked…
A “$0-down” solar offer is not necessarily cheap. The key is to separate the price of the solar system from the cost of financing it. The CFPB has found cases where solar-loan fees increased the financed principal by 30% or more above the cash price, while the advertised interest rate still looked unusually low.
Ask the installer for these in writing:
Then calculate:
Financed principal − cash price = financing markup/fees
For example:
That $9,000 may effectively be a dealer/program/origination fee even if the salesperson describes the loan as “1.99% financing.” The CFPB specifically warns that these fees can be embedded in the loan principal rather than clearly presented as a financing cost.
A very low advertised rate can be paired with a large upfront financing fee. Conversely, a loan with a higher interest rate but little or no dealer fee can be cheaper—particularly if you expect to pay the loan off early.
Compare:
The APR is more informative than the headline interest rate, but you should still independently compare the cash price with the loan principal because solar dealer fees have sometimes been structured in ways that make the quoted APR less revealing.
Don't let the financing determine whether the underlying solar installation is fairly priced.
Get at least 2–3 competing quotes for approximately the same:
Ideally, ask another installer for a cash quote, even if you ultimately intend to finance. The CFPB specifically recommends asking for the cash price and comparing proposals from multiple installers and lenders.
A useful test is:
Would I consider this system reasonably priced if there were no financing attached? If the answer is no, a low monthly payment doesn't fix the problem.
Be particularly cautious if the salesperson says something like:
“Your payment is only $X after you apply the 30% tax credit.” The tax benefit should not automatically be treated as money you are guaranteed to receive. Your eligibility and ability to use a tax credit depend on your individual tax circumstances. The CFPB has also warned about loan structures where the payment increases after roughly 18 months unless the homeowner makes a large payment based on an anticipated tax credit.
Ask:
Suppose you have:
Offer A
versus:
Offer B
Don't assume A is cheaper because “2%” sounds dramatically better.
Ask each lender for the amortization schedule and total scheduled payments. Then compare the total financing cost:
Total payments − actual cash price of system = financing cost
Also calculate what happens if you pay the loan off in, say, 5 or 7 years. This matters because a large dealer fee is paid upfront and cannot generally be recovered by early repayment, whereas future interest can be avoided.
One of the most revealing questions is:
“What is the cash price of this exact system, and what is the loan principal before any tax-credit payment? Please identify every dollar of difference between those two numbers.” If the salesperson can't—or won't—give you a straightforward answer, pause the deal.
Also ask:
“If I obtain my own financing from a bank or credit union, will you sell me the system for the same cash price?” The CFPB recommends this approach: homeowners can obtain outside financing and bring that financing offer to the installer.
I'd be especially cautious if you see:
The CFPB has documented precisely these kinds of concerns in the solar-financing market.
Ignore “$0 down” and ignore the headline interest rate initially.
Start with:
Cash price → financed principal → fees/markup → APR → total payments → payoff-at-5/7-years cost.
That sequence makes it much harder for a financing structure to disguise an inflated solar-system price.
If you have an actual solar proposal, you can paste the system price, loan amount, interest rate, term, monthly payment, and dealer/finance fees here (remove your name/address), and I can walk through the numbers and identify where the markup is hiding.
The CFPB recommends this approach: homeowners can obtain outside financing and bring that financing offer to the installer.
I'd be especially cautious if you see:
A “no-money-down” solar offer is not necessarily a bad deal. The key is to separate **the price of the solar system** from **the cost of financing it**. A low advertised interest rate can be paired with a large dealer/finance fee that gets rolled into the loan principal. The CFPB has specifically warned about this…
A “no-money-down” solar offer is not necessarily a bad deal. The key is to separate the price of the solar system from the cost of financing it. A low advertised interest rate can be paired with a large dealer/finance fee that gets rolled into the loan principal. The CFPB has specifically warned about this practice.
Ask the installer for, in writing:
For example:
Cash price: $30,000 Financed loan principal: $39,000 Difference: $9,000 That $9,000 difference is a major warning sign that financing costs have been embedded in the project price. The CFPB has documented examples where hidden solar financing fees increase the loan principal substantially above the cash price.
Don't accept “your monthly payment is only $X” as the price.
A “2.99% solar loan” can be more expensive than a 7% loan if the 2.99% loan carries a large dealer fee.
Compare:
Total amount paid = upfront amount + all loan payments + other required costs
Also compare the APR, loan term, and fees—not merely the nominal interest rate. Solar loans commonly use dealer/origination fees to subsidize low advertised rates.
A useful question for the salesperson is:
“If I choose a loan with no dealer fee, what would the interest rate and total project price be?” If they can't or won't show you that alternative, that's a reason to slow down.
Get at least three comparable quotes and calculate:
System price ÷ system size in watts = $/W
For example:
If they're offering essentially identical equipment and installation, the second quote deserves scrutiny.
Don't compare $/W blindly, though. A battery, main-panel upgrade, difficult roof, tile work, trenching, or other substantial electrical work can legitimately raise the price. The FTC recommends comparing detailed bids specifying system size, expected production, installation costs, permits, and warranties.
Request the actual loan disclosure and look for:
The important comparison is something like:
| Loan A | Loan B --- | --- | --- Cash system price | $30,000 | $30,000 Loan principal | $39,000 | $32,000 Interest rate | 2.99% | 7.49% Dealer fee | $9,000 | $2,000 Term | 25 years | 15 years Total payments | calculate | calculate
The higher-rate loan can win despite its higher interest rate if its upfront financing fee is dramatically lower.
A salesperson might say:
“Your system is only $21,000 after the 30% federal tax credit.” That's potentially misleading. A tax credit isn't the same thing as an instant discount, and whether you can use the full credit depends on your tax situation. The CFPB specifically warns against presenting a presumed tax credit as though it reduces the actual loan principal.
Evaluate the deal using the actual contract and loan amounts first. Treat tax incentives separately.
Before accepting the installer's financing, check what you can get from:
Then ask the installer to quote the system without their financing.
This is particularly revealing because the same installer and equipment can suddenly have a very different price when you say you'll bring your own financing.
A salesperson can make almost any expensive system sound affordable by stretching the loan over 20–25 years.
For example, don't think:
“$180/month is cheaper than my $250 electric bill.” Think:
“How much will I pay for the solar system over the entire 25 years?” A long term lowers the monthly payment but can substantially increase total interest.
Also check whether the quoted payment assumes you will make a large future payment—sometimes tied to an expected tax credit. The FTC recommends specifically asking whether payments change, whether there is a balloon payment, and how long payments continue.
Pricing can be inflated independently of financing.
Ask another installer to quote the same approximate system size and battery configuration, without telling them the first company's price.
Compare:
If one company is 30–40% more expensive for essentially the same equipment and scope, ask why.
I'd be especially cautious if the salesperson:
The FTC explicitly advises homeowners to get multiple bids, take time to review the contract, and be wary of companies using pressure tactics or claiming solar is essentially free.
“Show me the cash price for this exact system, the financed principal, every financing fee, the APR, and the total amount I'll pay over the life of the loan.”
If you have those five numbers, most “no-money-down” pricing tricks become much easier to see.
Pricing can be inflated independently of financing.
Ask another installer to quote the same approximate system size and battery configuration, without telling them the first company's price.
To evaluate whether a "no-money-down" solar offer hides high interest rates or inflated pricing, a homeowner must **calculate the "dealer fee" by comparing the cash price against the financed price** and **benchmark the cost per watt against local market averages.** "No-money-down" offers are rarely free; solar…
To evaluate whether a "no-money-down" solar offer hides high interest rates or inflated pricing, a homeowner must calculate the "dealer fee" by comparing the cash price against the financed price and benchmark the cost per watt against local market averages.
"No-money-down" offers are rarely free; solar financiers routinely add hidden markups called dealer fees—ranging from 10% to 40% of the system cost —into the principal loan amount to artificially lower the advertised interest rate.
🔎 1. Uncover Hidden Dealer Fees
Solar lenders often offer low interest rates (e.g., 2.99% or 3.99%) by charging the solar installer a massive upfront fee, which the installer then passes directly to you by inflating the system's purchase price.
📊 2. Benchmark the Cost Per Watt ($/W)
System sizes vary, making total price comparisons confusing. Standardize the quote using the "Cost per Watt" metric to see if the base pricing is artificially inflated.
💡 3. Contrast Loans vs. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
"No-money-down" typically routes through two different financial vehicles, each with distinct structural traps.
📋 4. Verify Against Independent Financing
Bypass the installer’s tied financing entirely to uncover the true market cost of the hardware and labor.
➡️ Next Steps to Protect Your Investment
If you want to run the exact math on a proposal you received, let me know:
I can calculate the exact hidden dealer fee and show you the true cost of the financing.
No sources cited
Yes. The key is to **separate the solar system’s actual cash price from the financing price**. A “no-money-down” offer can be perfectly legitimate, but it can also make an expensive system look cheap by shifting costs into the loan. The CFPB found that some solar-specific loans have **dealer/program/finance fees that…
Yes. The key is to separate the solar system’s actual cash price from the financing price. A “no-money-down” offer can be perfectly legitimate, but it can also make an expensive system look cheap by shifting costs into the loan.
The CFPB found that some solar-specific loans have dealer/program/finance fees that can raise the financed principal 10–30% or more above the system's cash price, sometimes exceeding 50%. Those fees can make a loan's advertised interest rate look unusually low.
1. Demand a cash-price quote first.
Ask the installer for a written price as if you were paying cash, with no financing:
Then ask: “What is the exact price if I finance it?”
If the answer is substantially higher, ask for a line-by-line explanation of the difference.
2. Don't judge the deal by the advertised APR alone.
For example:
Cash price: $30,000
Financed principal: $39,000
Advertised interest rate: 2.99%
That isn't really a $30,000 solar purchase financed at 2.99%. You're borrowing $39,000. The CFPB has specifically warned that dealer fees can be incorporated into the loan principal while being poorly disclosed as part of the financing cost.
Ask the lender—not just the salesperson—for:
Then calculate the total dollars you'll pay, not merely the monthly payment.
3. Watch for the “tax-credit payment.”
A common structure has a low initial payment followed by a higher payment around month 18, with the salesperson telling you to use your expected tax credit to make a large principal payment.
That's risky because the tax benefit isn't necessarily equal to the amount the salesperson assumes. The CFPB specifically warns about loans whose payments jump if the homeowner doesn't make the expected tax-credit payment.
Also, be careful with tax-credit claims. As of August 2026, the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit rules have changed, so don't accept an old sales pitch claiming that every homeowner automatically gets a 30% credit. The IRS says the residential credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
4. Get competing quotes for the same system.
This is probably the best way to detect an inflated system price.
Suppose three installers quote roughly:
| Offer | System | Cash price |
|---|---|---|
| A | 8 kW | $24,000 |
| B | 8 kW | $25,500 |
| “No-money-down” offer | 8 kW | $35,000 |
The third company's financing may be hiding a large markup—or it may have genuinely different equipment, roof work, battery capacity, warranties, etc. That's why you need comparable specifications.
Calculate $/W as a quick screening tool:
cash system price ÷ system size in watts
But don't rely on $/W alone; equipment, roof/electrical work, battery storage, permitting, and installation complexity can materially change the price.
5. Ask this exact question.
“If I arrange financing independently and pay you cash at installation, what is your lowest total installed price for exactly this system?”
That's extremely revealing.
If the installer says the price is $25,000 with your own financing but $34,000 through its “2.99%” solar loan, you've identified a $9,000 financing-related markup.
6. Compare the financing against an outside loan.
Get a quote from a bank, credit union, or other lender for approximately the same amount. You don't necessarily need to use it; it's a benchmark.
For example, compare:
The second loan may have a higher nominal rate but still cost less overall because you're not financing a huge dealer fee.
I'd slow down or walk away if the salesperson:
The FTC likewise advises homeowners to get competing quotes, verify the provider, read the contract carefully, and be suspicious of “free” solar claims or high-pressure sales tactics.
You can reduce almost any offer to these four numbers:
A. Cash price of the system
B. Amount actually financed
C. Total of all loan payments
D. Any required lump-sum payments
Then ask:
“Why is B higher than A, and what exactly accounts for the difference?”
If you give me the solar proposal/loan numbers (cash price, system size, loan amount, APR, term, monthly payment, and any dealer fee), I can calculate the effective markup and total cost and show you whether the “no-money-down” offer is actually competitive.
Evaluating a "no-money-down" solar offer (often structured as a **Solar Loan** or **PPA/Lease** ) requires looking past the zero-upfront appeal to examine the total cost of ownership. Developers often roll financing fees, dealer fees, or inflated equipment markups into the…
Evaluating a "no-money-down" solar offer (often structured as a Solar Loan or PPA/Lease ) requires looking past the zero-upfront appeal to examine the total cost of ownership. Developers often roll financing fees, dealer fees, or inflated equipment markups into the contract.
Here is a structured, step-by-step approach to uncover hidden costs:
If you'd like, let me know:
I can help you calculate the cost per watt and estimate the total lifetime cost of the offer.
Yes. The key is to **separate the solar system’s price from the financing price**. A “0% down” or unusually low-rate offer can still be expensive if the installer/lender inflates the amount financed through dealer or origination fees. The CFPB has specifically warned that some solar loans have hidden fees that can…
Yes. The key is to separate the solar system’s price from the financing price. A “0% down” or unusually low-rate offer can still be expensive if the installer/lender inflates the amount financed through dealer or origination fees.
The CFPB has specifically warned that some solar loans have hidden fees that can raise the loan principal 30% or more above the cash price, while making the advertised interest rate look unusually low.
Ask the installer for a written proposal showing:
Then ask:
“If I paid cash today, what exact amount would you charge for this identical system?”
If the cash price is $30,000 but the loan principal is $39,000, you've uncovered a $9,000 financing markup—even if the loan advertises a very attractive interest rate. That's essentially the example the CFPB uses in its solar-financing report.
Get the actual loan disclosure and look at:
Amount financed × interest rate × term = the beginning of the analysis.
But don't stop there. Calculate the total of all scheduled payments and add any required prepayments.
For example:
| Offer A | Offer B | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash system price | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Amount financed | $39,000 | $32,000 |
| Advertised rate | 1.99% | 6.99% |
| Term | 25 years | 15 years |
| Down payment | $0 | $0 |
Offer A can look better because 1.99% is much lower, but the $9,000 markup may overwhelm the interest-rate advantage.
The CFPB says hidden solar-loan fees can be called dealer fees, program fees, lending fees, finance fees, platform fees, or origination fees, among other names.
Ask both the installer and lender:
“What is the cash price, what is the amount financed, and what accounts for the difference?”
Then ask:
“Is any dealer fee, origination fee, lender fee, or other financing charge being added to the system price?”
Get the answer in writing.
If the salesperson says, “That's just how the financing works,” ask the lender directly. You want to know whether the lender is paying the installer $30,000 while you are borrowing $39,000.
This is probably the strongest test.
Take the installer's cash-price proposal to a bank or credit union and ask what it would cost to finance $30,000 independently. Then compare that with the solar company's loan.
You're effectively testing two things independently:
Solar system:
Installer A vs. Installer B vs. Installer C
Financing:
Solar lender vs. bank/credit union vs. other lender
The CFPB specifically recommends getting the cash price, shopping multiple installers and lenders, and comparing written proposals.
Be especially cautious if the salesperson says something like:
“Your system is only $25,000 after the 30% tax credit.”
That's not the same thing as saying you are borrowing $25,000.
The CFPB has warned that some solar financing presentations prominently display a supposed “net cost” after subtracting an anticipated tax credit, while the actual loan principal is substantially higher. Whether and when you receive a tax benefit depends on your tax circumstances.
Evaluate the deal assuming you must repay the entire actual loan balance.
Some solar loans have a lower initial payment but require a large prepayment—often based on the expected tax credit—or the payment is recalculated upward after roughly 18–19 months.
Ask:
Don't accept “you'll just use your tax refund to pay it down.” Make sure you understand what happens if that money isn't available.
For rooftop solar, calculate:
Total cash price ÷ system size in watts
For example, a $30,000 / 8,000-watt system is $3.75/W.
Do the comparison using the cash price, not the inflated financed amount. Then compare several genuinely comparable proposals—same approximate system size, battery configuration, roof work, electrical upgrades, warranties, etc.
A very high price isn't automatically evidence of fraud: roofs can be difficult, electrical upgrades can be expensive, and batteries change the economics. But a large unexplained difference deserves investigation.
I'd slow down or walk away if a salesperson:
The CFPB specifically cautions that solar savings depend on factors such as location, electricity rates, system performance, weather, tree growth and other variables.
Before signing, put every proposal into this format:
System
Financing
Alternative financing
That makes it much harder for a salesperson to hide a $7,000–$10,000 financing markup behind a “1.99%” headline rate.
Bottom line: Don't ask “Is this a good 0%-down solar deal?” Ask “What would this identical system cost in cash, what exactly am I borrowing, where did the difference come from, and how much will I repay over the entire loan?” That exposes most of the economics that a low-rate/no-money-down presentation can obscure.
If you have an actual solar proposal, you can paste the system price, size, loan amount, APR/rate, term, monthly payments, and any tax-credit/prepayment language here, and I can help you dissect it line by line.
Evaluating a "no-money-down" solar offer requires looking past the monthly payment to dissect the total financial commitment. Installers often bundle financing fees into the contract, leading to inflated cash prices or higher interest rates disguised as low monthly…
Evaluating a "no-money-down" solar offer requires looking past the monthly payment to dissect the total financial commitment. Installers often bundle financing fees into the contract, leading to inflated cash prices or higher interest rates disguised as low monthly payments.
Here is a structured way to evaluate and uncover hidden costs in a solar offer:
If you'd like, share the details of your offer:
I can help you calculate the cost per watt and estimate the true dealer fees buried in the contract.
To evaluate a **no-money-down solar offer** , a homeowner must look past the monthly payment pitch and explicitly request the **gross cash price** of the system, calculate the **dealer fees** hidden in the financing, and compare the terms against independent funding sources . Zero-down promotions often market an…
To evaluate a no-money-down solar offer , a homeowner must look past the monthly payment pitch and explicitly request the gross cash price of the system, calculate the dealer fees hidden in the financing, and compare the terms against independent funding sources . Zero-down promotions often market an attractive, low fixed monthly rate or a deceptive "same as cash" illusion, but they frequently bake massive lender fees (sometimes 15% to 30% of the system cost) directly into the total contract price.
Evaluating System Pricing and Dealer Fees
Evaluating Interest Rates and Loan Structure
If you want to evaluate a specific quote you received, tell me:
I can help you break down the true cost-per-watt and estimated financing markup.
A “no-money-down” solar offer is usually not free solar—it means the upfront payment is shifted into financing. The key question is whether the financing structure makes the system itself more expensive than it would be with cash. Some solar loans use fees or pricing adjustments that can significantly increase the…
A “no-money-down” solar offer is usually not free solar—it means the upfront payment is shifted into financing. The key question is whether the financing structure makes the system itself more expensive than it would be with cash. Some solar loans use fees or pricing adjustments that can significantly increase the financed amount even when the advertised interest rate looks attractive.
Here are ways a homeowner can evaluate the offer:
Ask for two written proposals:
Compare:
Cash price → $X
Loan amount → $Y
The difference may reveal financing-related markups. Some solar lending structures add “dealer fees,” “finance fees,” or similar charges into the loan principal rather than showing them as a separate cost.
Example:
The homeowner is effectively financing an extra $9,000 before interest is even considered.
A low APR can be paired with a higher system price. Evaluate:
A 1.99% loan is not necessarily cheaper than an 8% loan if the low-rate loan has a large upfront markup baked into the price. The CFPB has noted that some solar loans include fees that raise loan principals substantially above cash prices.
Salespeople may use different names for similar charges. Ask:
Get answers in writing.
Before judging the financing, check whether the underlying solar installation price is reasonable.
Get at least 2–3 competing bids and compare:
A cheap monthly payment can hide an expensive system.
Some solar pitches show a “net cost” after a federal tax credit. That can be misleading if the homeowner does not have enough tax liability to use the full credit. Treat any tax credit as a possible benefit—not an automatic discount.
Ask:
Compare the total money paid versus the expected value of the electricity generated.
A homeowner can compare the solar company’s loan with:
The goal is not the lowest monthly payment—it is the lowest total cost for the system and financing combined.
Be cautious if the salesperson:
A good offer should make it easy to see the equipment cost, financing cost, and total amount paid separately.
