Financing

Flexible Ways to Make Solar Work for You

The right way to pay for solar depends on your budget, energy use, financial goals and how long you expect to remain in your home. That’s why Solar Panther doesn’t begin with a predetermined financing pitch.

We help you understand the available paths, compare the potential costs and benefits, and see how each option could affect your monthly expenses and long-term savings. Whether you choose to purchase your system outright, finance it over time or explore a solar lease, you’ll have the information you need to make a more confident decision.

Find the Right Path for Your Home and Goals

There is no single payment option that works best for every homeowner. Solar Panther can help you compare the choices using your actual electricity use, property and priorities.

Purchase Your System

Purchasing solar outright eliminates monthly loan or lease payments and may provide the greatest potential for long-term savings. It also requires the largest upfront investment.

Purchasing may make sense if you want to own your solar equipment, have funds available for the upfront cost, plan to remain in your home long enough to realize the potential long-term value, or prefer not to take on a monthly solar payment.

Finance Your Purchase

Solar financing allows you to own your system while spreading its cost across a series of monthly payments. Available interest rates, payment amounts and loan terms depend on the lender, program and applicant qualifications.

Financing may make sense if you want the benefits of system ownership, prefer to preserve cash rather than pay the full cost upfront, want a more manageable monthly payment, or are comfortable taking on a longer-term financial obligation.

Lease Your System

A solar lease may allow you to use solar energy without purchasing the equipment. Depending on the program, leasing may offer an opportunity for more immediate monthly savings, although the system is owned by the leasing provider.

Leasing may make sense if you want to explore solar without purchasing a system, are focused on potential near-term monthly savings, prefer an option with a lower upfront financial commitment, or understand how the lease could affect a future home sale.

Continue With the Utility

Sometimes, remaining with the utility is the most sensible option. If the property, energy use, available terms or anticipated time in the home does not support going solar, we believe you should know that before making a commitment.

Solar Panther’s job is to help you compare the options, not push you toward one particular answer.

Request Your Solar Analysis

Solar Financing Starts With the Numbers

Before discussing payment options, we begin by learning about your home and how you use electricity. That allows us to develop a system recommendation and evaluate the financial paths using information specific to you.

Our analysis may consider:

Your current and historical electricity use
Your utility rate and monthly energy expenses
Roof condition, orientation and available space
Shading and estimated solar production
Your budget and preferred monthly payment range
Your short- and long-term financial goals
How long you expect to remain in the home
Current financing or leasing terms available to you

We’ll then explain the costs, estimated production and potential tradeoffs so you can make an informed decision.

Financing That Fits the Complete Solar Project

Solar financing should be evaluated as part of the full project — not separately from system design, installation and long-term service.

Solar Panther helps coordinate the process from the initial analysis through system activation. Depending on your project, that may include:

Solar system design
Engineering
Permitting
Equipment and installation
Utility interconnection
Applicable incentive paperwork
System monitoring and ongoing support

Because Solar Panther is backed by Roof Tiger, our team can also evaluate the roofing system beneath the panels. If roofing work is needed before solar installation, we can help determine how the projects should be coordinated.

Understand the Terms Before You Commit

Monthly payment is only one part of comparing solar financing options. Before signing an agreement, homeowners should understand the complete financial structure.

Important details may include:

Interest rate or annual percentage rate
Loan or lease term
Initial and future payment amounts
Dealer or financing fees
Early payoff terms
Ownership of the solar equipment
Maintenance and service responsibilities
Available warranties
Requirements if the home is sold
Assumptions involving incentives or tax benefits

Solar Panther will help explain the project and available payment paths. Review all lender or leasing documents carefully, and consult an appropriate financial or tax professional when deciding how a program fits your individual circumstances.

Find Out How Much Solar Could Save You With a Free Custom Quote.

Financing FAQs

Can I Finance a Solar System?

Financing options may be available for qualified homeowners who want to own their solar systems without paying the entire cost upfront. Terms, rates, fees and approval requirements depend on the financing provider and applicant qualifications.

What Is the Difference Between Financing and Leasing Solar?

When you finance a solar system, you generally own the equipment and make payments toward the purchase. With a solar lease, the leasing provider typically owns the system and you pay for its use under the terms of the agreement.

Ownership, maintenance responsibilities, incentives, home-sale requirements and long-term financial outcomes can differ. Solar Panther will help you understand how the available options compare.

Is Solar Financing Available With No Money Down?

Some programs may offer options with little or no upfront payment for qualified applicants. Availability depends on the provider, credit approval and current program terms. Review the full cost of financing — not only the initial payment — before deciding.

Will My Solar Payment Replace My Electric Bill?

Not exactly. Most homeowners remain connected to the utility and may continue receiving an electric bill after installing solar. Your total monthly expenses will depend on system production, household electricity use, utility charges and the terms of your solar loan or lease.

We’ll help you look at these expenses together rather than treating the solar payment and utility bill as unrelated costs.

Will Applying Affect My Credit?

That depends on the financing provider and the stage of the application. A lender may use a soft or hard credit inquiry when determining eligibility. The application should clearly disclose which type of inquiry will be performed before you authorize it.

Can I Pay Off My Solar Loan Early?

Early-payment policies depend on the lender and loan agreement. Some programs may allow early payoff without a penalty, but homeowners should verify this in the official financing documents before signing.

What Happens to My Financing if I Sell My Home?

The answer depends on whether you purchased, financed or leased the system and on the terms of your agreement. A financed system may need to be paid off or otherwise addressed during the sale. A lease may include requirements for transferring the agreement to a qualified buyer.

If you expect to sell your home in the foreseeable future, include that in the initial solar conversation.

Are Solar Incentives Included in the Financing Estimate?

Solar proposals may show incentives or tax benefits that could reduce the system’s effective cost, but eligibility is not automatic. Programs and tax rules can also change. Ask which incentives are being assumed, when they may be received and whether the financing structure depends on applying those funds to the balance.

Solar Panther can provide information about potentially applicable programs, but homeowners should consult a qualified tax professional regarding eligibility and individual tax consequences.

How Do I Get Started?

Begin with a personalized solar analysis. Solar Panther will review your property, electricity use and goals, then help you compare remaining with the utility, purchasing, financing and leasing. If you decide to move forward with financing, we’ll explain how to complete the appropriate application.

    
 
 
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   Ken Preston 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Solar Panther exceeded my expectations. They were up front with pricing and time schedule. And they could tell me exactly who would be doing the actual work because everyone was local. Other solar companies couldn’t do that because they brought different contractors in from out of town and couldn’t give an accurate schedule for the work. The battery backup generator eliminates the need for a noisy gas generator!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Rick Perez 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ben and his team at Solar Panther delivered top notch service. My solar options were thoroughly explained along with the associated costs and government rebates that were available.  I was kept aware of the project timeliness and next steps. Highly recommend for service that shines!
  
 
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   Jimmy Rule 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Cannot say more about Adam and the guys who got our system installed! Very knowledgeable and super helpful. The install crew cleaned up after themselves as well! Would recommend Solar Panther to anyone!
  
 
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   Erin CUNNINGHAM 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We started out with Roofing Tiger , which then lead us to Solar Panther. Seriously these teams are top notch professionals start to finish. No question goes unanswered, every effort is made to make sure there is customer satisfaction. No detail was too small and this organization puts in the effort to make sure you are comfortable with the decisions you are making. No pressure marketing, numbers up front. Quality workmanship with attention to detail. They are there when they say they are going to be. They stand behind their work with long standing guarantees with competitive pricing. Local business that's here for the long haul. Business the way it's supposed to be done! I would recommend to anyone. Outstanding!!!
  
 
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   Lane Dieckow 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great experience with Solar Panther.  Customer service was excellent and they were timely throughout the process from initial estimate, install, follow ups and submission of paperwork for rebates.  Great experience and would highly recommend!
  
 
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   AllArmy 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had my solar panels installed about 4 months ago and I am glad I did.  Started my solar journey with another company but went with Solar Panther because they are local and honest.  Installation and the entire process went very smoothly and they kept me well informed through it all.  Had a micro-inverter go out today and they noticed it before i did and had a team out to do the warranty repair the same day!  Very happy that I went with Solar Panther!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Deb Miller 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing customer service and great people to work with, especially Riley, Noah and Nate!  Couldn’t have gone more smoothly from start to finish!  Highly recommend!
  
 
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   Pete Magsig 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Solar Panther put the solar array on my house in conjunction with Roof Tiger (their sister company) who put on my new roof. The quality of their work is solid. We had a pile of issues with getting engineering approval for roof deck load because my house is 100+ years old -and- I foamed in the roof deck 8 years ago, so it was very difficult to get an engineering group to assess it. Ben was diligent, tenacious even, and got the approval take care of. Connecting to the house was a breeze, running conduit through the roof eaves down to tie-ins next to my meter. The panels are unobtrusive and lightweight, but fastened down well to channel frames. Balancing inverters are part of the roof hardware, so there's nothing special at all in my main panel. We just had to have room for large breaker. No batteries. No fuss. Cutoffs are external to the house, for Ameren personnel to use. My house is now part of the grid, which has been a goal of mine for over a decade. There's a lot of paperwork involved with solar, and Solar Panther took care of all of that. They have also kept in touch with me to make sure I was properly set up with Ameren to get my full 1-to-1 reimbursement for any surplus energy I deliver to the grid. (Yes, that means my meter runs backwards at times, which is pretty cool.) I talked with them a lot before we started this project: about panel longevity, rebates, reimbursement from Ameren, and also their involvement in the long term health and functioning of my solar array. I was concerned with how well this technology is going to age and how Solar Panther would support it. Solar Panther doesn't just show up, stick some panels on your roof, and walk away. They monitor and maintain your array. That's just part of their business. The best part of all this is that once the panels were connected, it has just worked. I don't expect to have to spend any amount of my time fussing with the system, and I certainly haven't had to do much in the last four months since our install went live, except watch my power bill go down. I recommend going solar. I recommend Solar Panther.
  
 
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   Andy B 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I researched 5 different providers and ultimately selected Solar Panther. They are a locally established company and use locally established suppliers. Communication was and still is great. The sales process was easy. No hard sell tactics. Just good people having open conversations. Would recommend them to anyone.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Risha Fennell 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Solar installation went faster than I expected.