If you’ve ever considered adding solar power to your home, now seems like a good time to do it. Best Buy and solar installer company SolarCity have announced a partnership that will allow Best Buy customers to receive free consultations from SolarCity. Additionally Best Buy is offering a $100 gift card to those who convert their homes to solar with SolarCity between now and Earth Day, April 22.
Designed for customers who want an easy way to install and maintain solar arrays for their homes, SolarCity offers a leasing system that comes free of big upfront costs. The customer doesn’t have to worry about the logistics of installing a solar array, which often includes obtaining permits. Instead customers sign a 20-year contract to lease SolarCity’s equipment, and SolarCity takes care of the permits, installation and maintenance at no additional cost, according to Forbes. The amount of money a homeowner saves on utility bills by using SolarCity’s arrays should cover the cost of the lease.
But not everyone can take advantage of SolarCity’s services. SolarCity and Best Buy are only able to offer this deal in Arizona, California, Hawaii, New York and Oregon, states which permit this type of third party leasing arrangement for utilities. Other states are still determining how to adjust their policies to allow for distributed solar power, according to ThinkProgress.
Solar panels are powering more and more homes across the country and 2013 saw the most installations yet. Leasing options like SolarCity’s are making it easier, both logistically and financially, for people to convert to solar.
Are you thinking of powering your home with solar power?
Photo by U.S. Army Environmental Command
