{"id":12468,"date":"2026-01-09T23:41:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T23:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/?p=12468"},"modified":"2026-01-22T21:57:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T21:57:25","slug":"lease-to-own-solar-panels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/","title":{"rendered":"Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In 2026, many homeowners find themselves caught between two imperfect options for going solar. Most prefer to own the solar system powering their home, but only Third-Party Owned systems (i.e., leases and PPAs) qualify for a federal tax credit.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, hybrid &#8220;lease-to-own&#8221; solar products\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/prepaid-solar-leases-ppas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">known as Prepaid Solar<\/a>\u2014are emerging in many markets and offering the best of both worlds: Access to a federal tax credit <em>and\u00a0<\/em>a clear path to owning the system after 6 years.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a closer look at the lease-to-own solar options in 2026, how they work, and whether it&#8217;s better to lease or own solar panels after recent policy changes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jump ahead:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#options\">Lease to Own Solar Options in 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#year6\">The &#8220;Year 6&#8221; Milestone<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#better\">Is It Better to Lease or Own Your Solar Panels?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#prepaid\">Prepaid Solar: The Lease-to-Own Solar Product Made for 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"options\"><\/a>Lease to Own Solar Options in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>In 2026, there are two lease-to-own solar models for homeowners to consider: Prepaid Solar and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/solar-lease\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">standard leases<\/a> with buyout options. In order to take ownership, both models require a lump payment from the homeowner. The key differences are:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>When that payment occurs<\/li>\n<li>How the amount is calculated<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.1095%;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.9539%;\">Prepaid Solar<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 40.9365%;\">Standard Lease<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.1095%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Upfront Payment<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.9539%;\">Based on post-tax credit value of system<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 40.9365%;\">Usually none<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.1095%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Monthly Payments<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.9539%;\">None (unless upfront balance is financed with loan)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 40.9365%;\">Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.1095%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Can transfer ownership<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.9539%;\">After Year 6 at little to no cost<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 40.9365%;\">Select times after Year 6 with buyout at Fair Market Value<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.1095%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Incentives applied as<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.9539%;\">Discount on upfront payment<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 40.9365%;\">Discount on monthly payments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<gs-injectable background = 'true' border='true' primary_color = '#8b72d3' secondary_color='#f98d7e' utm_campaign = 'get_started_injectable' utm_medium='lease to own solar' content_texts = 'true' upper_text='Get custom solar proposals' upper_text_span = 'for your home' lower_text='See how much solar could lower your' lower_text_span = 'electricity costs' get_started_text='Get started' only_community_solar='false'><\/gs-injectable>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Prepaid Solar<\/h3>\n<p>In a Prepaid Solar arrangement, the homeowner is presented with an <strong>upfront payment<\/strong> discounted by the federal tax credit and local incentives. This balance can be paid in cash or, in many cases, financed with a personal loan or HELOC.<\/p>\n<p>A third-party service provider owns and maintains the system for at least 6 years in order to fully claim the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/federal-solar-tax-credit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tax credit for leasing solar panels<\/a> (known as 48E). After this 6-year &#8220;tax credit recapture&#8221; period, the homeowner has the option to take ownership of the system at little to no cost and becomes responsible for monitoring, maintaining, and insuring the system. One of the better-known products in this space is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/hdm-prepaid-solar-ppa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HDM Renewable Finance&#8217;s Prepaid Solar PPA.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Since the balance is paid up front, Prepaid Solar products typically offer greater long-term savings than standard leases and PPAs.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-12443 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.solar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Prepaid-solar-PPAs-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3>Standard Leases<\/h3>\n<p>Standard solar leases typically have <strong>no upfront payment<\/strong>. Instead, the homeowner makes a monthly payment to &#8220;rent&#8221; a solar system installed on their property. These payments are typically consistent from month to month, but may increase by 1-3% each year if the lease agreement includes an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-is-a-solar-lease-escalator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">escalator<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The lease provider owns the system, claims the 48E federal tax credit and other incentives, and passes through their value as lower monthly solar payments.<\/p>\n<h4>Can you buy solar panels if you lease them?<\/h4>\n<p>Most solar leases include buyout options at select points after the 6-year tax credit recapture period. <strong>Lease buyouts are typically based on the Fair Market Value (FMV) of the system<\/strong>\u2014an appraisal influenced by the following factors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"161\" data-end=\"248\"><strong data-start=\"161\" data-end=\"186\">How old the system is: <\/strong>Newer systems are worth more; older ones are worth less.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"253\" data-end=\"355\"><strong data-start=\"253\" data-end=\"316\">How much electricity it\u2019s expected to produce in the future: <\/strong>More future power = higher value.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"360\" data-end=\"451\"><strong data-start=\"360\" data-end=\"399\">What electricity costs in your area: <\/strong>Higher utility rates make solar more valuable.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"456\" data-end=\"548\"><strong data-start=\"456\" data-end=\"512\">What it would cost to install a similar system today: <\/strong>Then reduced for age and wear.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"553\" data-end=\"653\"><strong data-start=\"553\" data-end=\"587\">The condition of the equipment: <\/strong>Panel health, inverter age, and remaining warranties matter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Fair Market Value of buying out a lease is generally higher than the upfront cost of Prepaid Solar\u2014and can even be higher than the cost of buying solar outright with cash. While this is technically a lease-to-own option for solar, it&#8217;s rarely the most cost-effective way to take ownership of a solar system.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, there is an option to take ownership of a leased system at the end of the 20-25 agreement term, at no cost to the homeowner. However, by this point, the homeowner has made decades of monthly payments, and the system is quite outdated.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"year6\"><\/a>The &#8220;Year 6&#8221; Milestone: Why Can\u2019t I Own the Panels Sooner?<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"1\">If you are looking into a lease-to-own or rent-to-own solar plan, you will likely notice a recurring theme: you typically can&#8217;t take full ownership of the panels until <b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"168\">Year 6<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\">This isn&#8217;t a random number chosen by solar companies\u2014it\u2019s a direct result of federal tax laws. Here is the simple breakdown of why Year 6 is the &#8220;magic number&#8221; for solar ownership.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"3\">Understanding the 5-Year Recapture Period<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">When a solar company installs a system on your roof via a lease, they are technically the owners. This allows them to claim the 48E federal tax credit. However, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/instructions\/i3468#en_US_2024_publink1000297036\">IRS has a &#8220;recapture&#8221; rule<\/a> that can reduce the value of the tax credit if the system changes ownership before the end of 5 full years.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\">If the solar company were to sell or transfer the system to you before those five years are up, they would have to pay back a portion of that tax credit to the government. To avoid this penalty, almost all TPO solar contracts are structured so that the option to transfer the system begins no sooner than <b data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"310\">Year 6<\/b>.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"7\">What Happens in Year 6?<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">Once the recapture period ends, the &#8220;vesting&#8221; is complete. Depending on your specific plan, one of two things usually happens:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"9\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Prepaid Solar:<\/b> You typically have the option to take ownership at little to no additional cost.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Standard Lease Buyout:<\/b> If you have a monthly lease, Year 6 is usually your first opportunity to &#8220;buy out&#8221; the system at its Fair Market Value.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">By waiting until Year 6, the provider ensures that the federal tax incentive has been secured, allowing you to step into ownership with a system that has already been tested and maintained for half a decade.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"better\"><\/a>Is It Better to Lease or Own Your Solar Panels?<\/h2>\n<p>The decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-or-buy-solar-panels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lease or own solar panels<\/a> is more nuanced in 2026 than it has been in past years, and largely depends on your savings goals and preferences. Even without a federal tax credit for homeowners to claim, direct ownership often delivers the greatest return on investment over 25 years, while $0 down leases are a path to more immediate cash flow.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few more things to consider.<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">OWNERSHIP (CASH OR LOAN PURCHASE)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">STANDARD LEASE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Federal tax credit<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">None<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Claimed by solar company<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Local incentives<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">Claimed by homeowner<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Claimed by solar company<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Monitoring, Maintenance, Insurance<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">Homeowner&#8217;s responsibility<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Solar company&#8217;s responsibility<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Cost to replace out-of-warranty battery storage<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">Homeowner&#8217;s responsibility<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Often factored into lease payments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Impact to home value<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">Increases home value<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Does not directly increase home value, but can make it more attractive to buyers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Selling your home<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">Straightforward<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Transfer or buyout adds paperwork to closing process<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 30.0024%; text-align: left;\"><strong>Equipment selection<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.1885%;\">No restrictions<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 36.809%;\">Restricted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-in-the-feoc-is-going-on-solar-and-foreign-entity-of-concern-rules-in-the-obbb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FEOC<\/a> rules<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><a id=\"prepaid\"><\/a>Prepaid Solar: The Lease-to-Own Solar Product Made for 2026<\/h2>\n<p>With the consumer-claimed solar tax credit terminated, Prepaid Solar seems made precisely for this moment&#8230;. because it was. This lease-to-own option for residential solar allows homeowners to go solar at around 70% of the cost of an outright purchase, and choose to take ownership of the system after a relatively short period of time.<\/p>\n<p>Ready to see your best path to energy cost savings? Connect with a solar.com Energy Advisor to review custom proposals for your home.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<gs-injectable background = 'true' border='true' primary_color = '#8b72d3' secondary_color='#f98d7e' utm_campaign = 'get_started_injectable' utm_medium='lease to own solar' content_texts = 'true' upper_text='Get custom solar proposals' upper_text_span = 'for your home' lower_text='See how much solar could lower your' lower_text_span = 'electricity costs' get_started_text='Get started' only_community_solar='false'><\/gs-injectable>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"faq\"><\/a>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"3\">How does a &#8220;rent to own&#8221; solar program actually work in 2026?<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">In 2026, rent-to-own solar is typically structured as a Prepaid Lease or a standard lease with a buyout option. Under these programs, a third-party provider installs and maintains the system on your home. You either pay a discounted lump sum upfront (Prepaid) or monthly installments (Standard Lease). After the 6-year federal tax credit recapture period, you typically have the option to buy out the contract at &#8220;Fair Market Value.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>When can I officially take ownership of my leased solar panels?<\/h3>\n<p>Under current IRS guidelines, you usually have the option to buy out a solar lease contract <b data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"90\">after Year 6<\/b>. This timeline exists because the owner of the system (the leasing company) must hold the system for at least five full years to avoid &#8220;recapturing&#8221; the federal tax credit. Once this period ends, most lease-to-own contracts allow you to buy out the remaining value of the system and transition from a &#8220;renter&#8221; to a full owner with no further monthly payments.<\/p>\n<h3>Is a lease-to-own solar plan better than buying outright?<\/h3>\n<p>It depends on your savings goals and preferences. In 2026, many homeowners choose lease-to-own (Prepaid Solar) because it allows them to buy solar electricity in bulk, typically for 70% of what it costs to purchase a comparable solar system, and the option to take ownership after Year 6. While a cash purchase offers the highest long-term return on investment and wider equipment selection, a lease-to-own plan provides a lower barrier to entry and includes professional maintenance for the first six years.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2026, many homeowners find themselves caught between two imperfect options for going solar. Most prefer to own the solar system powering their home, but only Third-Party Owned systems (i.e.,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":12469,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[87,5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.5 (Yoast SEO v19.10) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026? | Solar.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore lease-to-own solar options in 2026, including &#039;Prepaid Solar.&#039; Learn how to access federal tax credits and take full ownership of your system after just 6 years.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore lease-to-own solar options in 2026, including &#039;Prepaid Solar.&#039; Learn how to access federal tax credits and take full ownership of your system after just 6 years.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Solar.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Solar.comOfficial\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-09T23:41:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-22T21:57:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.solar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/lease-to-own-solar-panels.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sam Wigness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SamuelWigness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sam Wigness\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sam Wigness\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/b594f06d4c2b5e6a0e85af02b90fb883\"},\"headline\":\"Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-09T23:41:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-22T21:57:25+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\"},\"wordCount\":1598,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Leasing Solar Panels: The Complete Guide\",\"Solar Financing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\",\"name\":\"Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026? | Solar.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-09T23:41:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-22T21:57:25+00:00\",\"description\":\"Explore lease-to-own solar options in 2026, including 'Prepaid Solar.' Learn how to access federal tax credits and take full ownership of your system after just 6 years.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/lease-to-own-solar-panels\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Solar Learning Center\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Solar Financing\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/solar-financing\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/\",\"name\":\"Solar.com\",\"description\":\"Solar Learning Center\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#organization\",\"name\":\"solar.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/assets.solar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Solar.com-Logo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/assets.solar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Solar.com-Logo.jpg\",\"width\":400,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"solar.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Solar.comOfficial\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/b594f06d4c2b5e6a0e85af02b90fb883\",\"name\":\"Sam Wigness\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9a95944d778e3e439d9f107c3c2188f9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9a95944d778e3e439d9f107c3c2188f9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sam Wigness\"},\"description\":\"Sam started working in solar as a commercial installer in 2011 and has been creating content in the renewable energy, home improvement, and mortgage spaces for over a decade. He's been published by the Associated Press, Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch, Home.com, Emeraldology.com and many other digital and print outlets. He's also been cited as a solar expert in The Mortage Reports Sam has a BA in Communication with an Emphasis in Journalism from the University of North Dakota and was named 425 Magazine's \\\"Top 30 Under 30 Professionals\\\" in 2020 while running an sustainable e-commerce startup. Based just outside of Seattle, WA, his 4.5 kW solar system provides enough power for his wife, daughter, and dog -- for now.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/samuel-wigness\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SamuelWigness\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/author\/swigness\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Lease to Own Solar Panels: How Does It Work in 2026? | Solar.com","description":"Explore lease-to-own solar options in 2026, including 'Prepaid Solar.' 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