This is a graphic from an ad from SolarCity, a California based company that has recently started advertising in Massachusetts, and presumably, other places. Their business model is based on a lease plan for photovoltaic panel systems and they are claiming that monthly lease fees can end up being less than monthly utility costs.
Solar panels on roofs of detached single family homes has always seemed like a good idea to me. I'm not sure I would take the plunge on this for my own house, but I can see how it could appeal to new homeowners.
And the aesthetic impact? So what? It's not that different than having a car parked in a driveway.
It's looking more and more like these sorts of utility arrangements will become more normal. The homeowner gets the benefit without the huge outlay of cash. It also means that if it makes sense for the utility, the hardware can be upgraded. For years in other parts of the country landowners have been paid for use of oil or gas deposits on their land in a similar fashion. I think it's a great way to get market penetration of alternative energy.
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