Solar comparisons

Own versus third-party. Owning means the asset is yours and the savings are yours; in 2026 it also means no federal tax credit, since the IRS treats Section 25D as unavailable for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. A lease or PPA means a company owns the system, claims the remaining federal credit on the business side, and may pass some of that through — but your benefit is contractual, escalators can erode it, and you own nothing at the end unless the contract says otherwise.

Microinverters versus string. Microinverters cope better with shade and mixed roof orientations and give per-panel monitoring. A string inverter is one simpler, generally cheaper unit and a single point of failure. Choose based on your roof geometry, and compare the written warranty on the specific models quoted.

With or without a battery. At EnergySage's 2026 average of $1,128 per kWh installed, a battery is a backup-power purchase far more often than a financial one. If outages are frequent and costly for you, it can be worth it. If you just want a lower bill, spend the money on more panels instead.

How to choose

Compare on total 25-year cost

Put cash, loan, lease and PPA on one page with total dollars paid and what you own at the end.

Let the roof pick the inverter

Shading and multiple planes point to microinverters or optimizers. A single clean plane does not need them.

Separate backup goals from savings goals

A battery answers "what happens in an outage." More panels answer "how do I cut my bill." They are different purchases.

Compare identical system sizes

A cheaper quote is often a smaller system. Normalize to $/W before you conclude anything.

Weight installer over panel brand

Panel failures are uncommon. Installation quality and the company's survival are the variables that determine your experience.