Defined term
Residential solar system lease
A residential solar system lease is an agreement in which a provider owns a system installed at a home and the customer pays scheduled amounts for its use during the contract term.
Also known as solar lease
economics · Concept code GS-CONCEPT-019 · Last verified August 20, 2026
Evidence through 2024-08-07 · 4 sources have no source-event date
Content modified 2026-08-20
Definition and boundaries
Definition
A residential solar system lease is an agreement in which a provider owns a system installed at a home and the customer pays scheduled amounts for its use during the contract term.
Applicable jurisdiction: US; CPUC examples are California-specific
Definition claim verification: Verified August 20, 2026
In plain language
The provider retains system ownership while the household pays according to the lease schedule. Review transfer, buyout, maintenance, and end-of-term terms in the actual contract.
What it is not
It is not a homeowner-owned purchase or loan, and it is distinct from a PPA because payment is not defined solely as a contracted price for every kilowatt-hour produced.
Decision context
Why it matters
Lease payment schedules, escalators, transfer, buyout, maintenance, and end-of-term terms vary. A lease is distinct from a PPA because payment is not defined solely as a contracted price for each kilowatt-hour the system produces.
Applicable jurisdiction: US; contract and jurisdiction terms vary
Decision-context claim verification: Verified August 20, 2026
Information boundary
This definition is general educational information, not individualized financial or legal advice. Contract terms, disclosures, incentives, and electricity-sale rules require transaction- and jurisdiction-specific review.
Selector-derived public graph
Learning navigation
Primary topic: Finance
Broader topic
No public concepts recorded.
More specific topics
No public concepts recorded.
Related topics
- Solar loanPublished conceptA solar loan finances customer ownership
- Residential on-site solar power purchase agreementPublished conceptA residential on-site PPA uses a per-kilowatt-hour payment basis
Learn first
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Builds toward
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Primary sources
- U.S. Department of Energy: Homeowner's Guide to Solar
Source event date not provided · Ontology accessed August 7, 2026 · Ontology verified August 7, 2026
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Issue Spotlight: Solar Financing
Revision Published 2024-08-07 · Source event as of August 7, 2024 · Ontology accessed August 20, 2026 · Ontology verified August 20, 2026
- Federal Trade Commission: Solar Power for Your Home
Source event date not provided · Ontology accessed August 20, 2026 · Ontology verified August 20, 2026
- California Public Utilities Commission: Solar Consumer Protection Guide
Revision Guide Version 4 (2025) · Source event date not provided · Ontology accessed August 20, 2026 · Ontology verified August 20, 2026
- National Laboratory of the Rockies: SAM Third Party Ownership
Source event date not provided · Ontology accessed August 20, 2026 · Ontology verified August 20, 2026