Is $304 to lease a solar panel system with Tesla Powerwalls a fair price?
Project Details
I'm currently in the process of deciding if solar panels are right for me. My home's energy statistics from January 2024 to present show an average of 707kWh/month (ranging from 261kWh to 1217kWh) costing ~$277, and 30 therms gas/month (ranging from 5 to 90 therms) costing ~$76. My average total bill is ~$354. I have an EV and am on the EV2-A plan, charging during off-peak hours after 12 AM. I was hoping to reduce my monthly utility bill without the huge overhead of purchasing outright. However, after calculating, the expected total bill after solar seems to be ~$380/month, which is $30-60 more per month. This seems like a terrible deal, and I'm wondering if solar is even a right fit for us. Even when our usage is low (e.g., on vacation), they still charge the fixed $304/month, disregarding NEM 3.0 credits. I've graphed out our expected bill, and surprisingly, almost 70% of the time, our bill with solar while leasing is higher than without.
Quote Details
This quote is for a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) lease for a solar panel system with battery storage. The system is designed to produce 12,000 kWh annually over a 25-year lease term. The monthly payment is fixed at $304, with a rate of $0.29/kWh. - System Size: 8.2 kW - Number of Panels: 20 solar panels - Battery Storage: 2 Tesla Powerwalls - Estimated Annual Production: 12,000 kWh - Lease Term: 25 years - Rate: $0.29/kWh - Monthly Fixed Rate: $304 - Net Energy Metering (NEM): 3.0
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More Details
Category
Solar
Price
$304
Quote Date
August 11, 2025
Location
California
Battery Storage?
No
System Size (kW)
8.2
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