Solar Leasing in 2026: A New Option for Homeowners in Western NC

Have you ever thought about going solar but purchasing a system cash was out of your budget? A loan was too difficult to navigate? There is a new option for North Carolina home owners available in 2026!

Historically,  purchasing solar systems cash has been the simplest and most cost-effective path for homeowners in North Carolina to get solar. Until 2026, leasing options were not readily available NC and most systems sold by Rhino Renewables were purchased with cash utilizing the Federal tax credit and utility subsidies to help offset the upfront cost.  Now with both of these subsidies gone, paying cash out of pocket for a solar system has become a bit more daunting. 

This has caused the  residential solar landscape to shift. 

For the first time in NC history, solar leasing has become a viable option that opens the door to solar and battery back up power with zero upfront costs.  Keep your cash in hand while accessing this cost savings, home resiliency and environmental savings of a solar system on your home or business.

At Rhino Renewables, we’re intentional about the solutions we bring to our communities. We only want to offer products that genuinely benefit our customers. That’s why we have not offered solar leases in years past. Changes to the solar industry are why this could now be a smart option for you.

What Is a Solar Lease?

A solar lease is a form of third-party ownership (TPO). In this structure:

• You do not own the solar system on your home
• A third-party owns, monitors, and maintains the equipment
• You pay a fixed monthly payment to use the electricity the system produces
• You benefit from lower utility bills without loans or upfront investment
• The lessor guarantees production and pays for maintenance on the system.

Think of it like leasing a vehicle: you get the benefit without ownership. In this case, the benefit is resiliency, and predictable monthly cost with clean, locally generated energy.

Your lease payment is based on the projected production of a system custom-designed for your home using local weather data, roof layout, and utility usage. The lease term is 25 years, and importantly:

After year seven, homeowners have the option to purchase the system at fair market value to lock in the financial savings over the system’s lifetime. 

Why Leasing Didn’t Work Before — and Why It Does Now

The turning point came with changes to federal solar incentives.

Beginning December 31, 2025, homeowners can no longer claim the 30% federal solar tax credit for residential systems. That credit was a major driver behind the economics of purchasing a solar system outright. 

However, commercial entities still qualify for the 30% federal solar tax credit and accelerated depreciation. By having the commercial entity own the system on your roof (as they do in a lease), they can use those incentives to pass the value along through zero money out of pocket,  lower monthly payments, and included maintenance. This shift is what finally made leasing work.

Key features include:

• $0 down with no upfront installation cost. Keep your cash liquid to be used for other investments, home improvements, travel etc.
• A strong production guarantee backed with full maintenance and monitoring included – No out of pocket system expenses for the lifetime of the lease. 
• The same education based sales, craftsmanship first installation and local service you can expect from the Rhino Renewables team
• Buy out the system in year 7 for the fair market value of the system at that time. 
• For the first time, an option to include a battery in the lease, getting back up power for a low monthly cost.
  
  Solar Lease vs. Buying vs. Financing

Here’s a clear comparison to help you decide which option fits your household best:

Feature	Solar Lease	Purchase (Cash)	Loan / Financing
Upfront Cost	$0	High	Low–Moderate
Loan Required	No	No	Yes
Ownership	No (option at year 7)	Yes	Yes
Maintenance Included	Yes	No	No
Federal Tax Credit	Goes to TPO	Not available after 2025	Not available after 2025
Monthly Payment	1-2% escalation per year	N/A	Fixed (loan term)
Annual Escalator	1-2%	N/A	N/A
Long-Term Savings	moderate	Highest	moderate
Flexibility	Buyout after Year 7	Full	Depends on loan

There’s no single “best” option — only the one that aligns with your financial goals, comfort level, and timeline.

Is a Solar Lease Right for You?

A solar lease isn’t perfect for everyone — and we’ll always be upfront about that. But for many homeowners across Western North Carolina it creates a meaningful new path to solar.

Leasing may be a good fit if you want to:

• Go solar with no upfront cost
• Avoid credit score impacts
• Start saving immediately
• Eliminate maintenance responsibilities
• Lock in predictable energy costs for decades

If you’ve been interested in solar but hesitant to purchase, this option may finally make sense.

As always, Rhino Renewables is here to walk you through every option honestly. If leasing isn’t right for your home, we’ll tell you. If it is, we’ll help you move forward with confidence and clarity.