Solar leasing vs. buying

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Solar leasing vs. buying

In this section, SolarChargedDriving.Com examines various aspects of solar leasing, which is expanding right now in the United States. As of early February 2010, solar leasing is available in seven U.S. states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Oregon. Solar leasing allows consumers to leap over arguably the biggest barrier to going solar: Solar’s substantial upfront costs.

Geoscape Solar grows leasing and solar in N.J.

Sunday, 07 March 2010 17:30 | Written by Christof Demont-Heinrich, SCD.Com Editor |

Geoscape Solar installed this solar system at Berlin Medical Associates in Berlin, New Jersey. (Photo courtesy of Geoscape Solar)

U.S. states with solar leasing (as of March 2010): Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas.

A great time to go solar in New Jersey recently got even better thanks to a comparatively new New Jersey solar company, Geoscape Solar, which has become the first in that state to offer customers solar leasing.

Geoscape’s Solar Lease Program allows customers to go solar with no money down while also saving on their long-term electricity costs and doing the right thing environmentally speaking.

Of course, whether buying a solar system or leasing is better for you – whether you live in New Jersey, or elsewhere in the U.S. – depends on a number of factors, most notably your cash flow situation, says Geoscape President and co-founder Jeffrey Chavkin.

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Solar leasing now available in North Texas

Thursday, 25 February 2010 12:12 |

TXU Energy customers in Texas can now opt for a solar lease. (SolarCity Photo)

The Lone Star State now officially has solar leasing available for residential consumers.

U.S. states with solar leasing (as of Feb. 2010): Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas.

TXU Energy is working together with SolarCity to offer a residential solar leasing program to North Texas homeowners. The program is available in Texas only through TXU Energy.

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Questioning the buying-is-better-than-leasing view

Saturday, 06 February 2010 13:37 | Written by Christof Demont-Heinrich, SCD.Com Editor |

Leasing is available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachuetts, New Jersey & Oregon.

U.S. states with solar leasing (as of Feb. 2010): Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas.

Conventional wisdom holds that it’s better to buy a solar system than to lease one.

It isn’t that simple.

While buying might be better for some people in some circumstances – mostly for people with lots of money stashed away somewhere to spread across multiple purchases, one of these being a solar system – for many people who have little to no money saved, solar leasing may well be a better option.

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A solar expert compares leasing to buying

Thursday, 07 January 2010 23:30 |

An REC Solar installed 7 kW system on a rooftop near Boulder, Colorado.

SolarChargedDriving.Com interviews Brian Sharpe, a solar consultant for REC Solar's Colorado office, about the comparative advantages and disadvantages of a residential solar lease vs. buying a solar system outright.

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Waiting for a solar (lease) revolution

Monday, 04 January 2010 22:31 | Written by Christof Demont-Heinrich, SCD.Com Editor |

At this point, after having read our short intro on solar leasing, you’re probably thinking: So what’s the catch?

As far as we can tell, there is no catch. At least not for homeowners who live in the right place, who have good to excellent credit, and who have the right roof and sun locations for a solar system.

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