Two paths.
Real math.
You pick.
Most solar companies push the one option that pays them most. We put both on paper, sized to your actual bill, and let you decide. No tablet. No same day pressure.
Two ways to go solar.
One is owned by you. One isn't.
Prepaid lease. $0 down.
A financing company owns the system and installs it on your roof. You pay a fixed kWh rate lower than PG&E today. The financing company claims the §48E federal credit and prices that saving into your rate. No lien on your home. No UCC-1 fixture filing.
Cash purchase. You own it.
You buy the system outright. No monthly payment. No lender. SMUD rebate eligible up to $10,000. California §73 property tax exclusion through January 1, 2027. No federal tax credit in 2026 — the §25D residential credit ended December 31, 2025.
We model both on your real bill. You see the numbers side by side. You pick.
Path A vs Path B.
What actually changes.
| Path A: Prepaid lease | Path B: Cash purchase | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 | Full system cost |
| Who owns the system | Third party (financing company) | You |
| Monthly payment | No | No |
| Electric bill impact | Lower kWh rate than PG&E, locked in | Reduced or eliminated |
| Federal incentive 2026 | §48E reflected in your rate (owned by financing company) | None. §25D ended Dec 31, 2025. |
| SMUD rebate eligible | No (system not homeowner-owned) | Yes, up to $10,000 per household |
| California property tax exclusion | No (system not homeowner-owned) | Yes, through Jan 1, 2027 |
| Selling your home | Buyer assumes lease or you buy it out | System transfers to buyer, adds value |
| UCC-1 fixture filing | No | No |
| Warranty | Covered by the financing company | Covered by manufacturer + installer |
$0 down prepaid lease.
You put nothing down. A third-party financing company pays for the system and installs it on your roof. They own it. You host it.
In exchange, you pay a fixed rate per kWh that is lower than PG&E's current rate. That gap is where your savings come from. The financing company claims the §48E federal commercial credit and prices that saving into your rate from day one.
What's good about this path
- No upfront cost. Nothing to finance.
- Predictable kWh rate, lower than PG&E.
- Equipment maintained and warranted by the financing company.
- No UCC-1 fixture filing on your equipment.
- On PG&E, this is the only path in 2026 where a federal incentive still reaches you in the pricing.
What to know
- You don't own the system. You can't claim the SMUD rebate.
- When you sell, the buyer assumes the lease or you buy it out first. We walk you through this.
- The rate is fixed. PG&E rates keep rising. That gap grows over time.
Example math — 1,200 kWh/month PG&E home, El Dorado Hills
| Current PG&E bill | Path A estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | ~$500 | ~$310 |
| Projected 10-year cost | ~$60,000 (rising) | ~$37,200 (fixed rate) |
These are illustrative estimates. Your numbers depend on your actual bill, usage, roof, and the current lease rate at time of quote. We run this on your real bill at the consult.
Financing disclosure. $0 down prepaid lease financing is available through third-party lenders to qualified applicants. The rate, term, and monthly payment depend on your credit, the loan product, and the lender. Revolt Services does not make loans and is not a lender. The §48E credit is claimed by the system owner, not by you. Ask for the full financing agreement and read it before signing.
Cash purchase. You own it.
You buy the system outright. We install it. You own it from day one.
No monthly payment to a lender. No rate to worry about. Your electric bill drops significantly. In SMUD territory, you're eligible for the rebate of up to $10,000. The California §73 property tax exclusion applies if your system is placed in service before January 1, 2027.
What's good about this path
- You own the system. Full stop.
- No lender, no monthly obligation.
- SMUD rebate eligible. Up to $10,000 per household.
- California property tax exclusion through Jan 1, 2027.
- When you sell, the system adds value and transfers cleanly.
What to know
- No federal tax credit for cash solar in 2026. The §25D credit ended December 31, 2025. Talk to your CPA before relying on any tax benefit.
- Upfront cost is significant. Typical NorCal system runs $25,000 to $45,000 before any rebate.
- After the SMUD rebate, a Sacramento-area cash buyer often ends up at $15,000 to $35,000 net.
Example math — 1,200 kWh/month SMUD home, Sacramento
| Current SMUD bill | Path B estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| System cost (before rebate) | — | ~$28,000 |
| SMUD rebate | — | Up to $10,000 |
| Net cost after rebate | — | ~$18,000 |
| Monthly bill after solar | ~$180 | ~$30 (service charges) |
| Simple payback | — | 7 to 10 years |
These are illustrative estimates. Your numbers depend on your bill, roof, system size, and current SMUD program terms. We run this on your real bill at the consult.
Tax credit disclosure. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (§25D) was terminated for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21). Cash and loan buyers in 2026 are not eligible for this credit. The §48E commercial credit is available only through third-party-owned systems (leases) and is claimed by the system owner, not by the homeowner. Revolt Services is not a tax advisor. Consult your own CPA before relying on any tax benefit.
Which one is right for you?
Neither is universally better. It depends on your bill, your utility, your finances, and your plans for the home.
- You don't have the cash for an upfront purchase
- You're on PG&E and want to capture something from the federal credit landscape in 2026
- You want the system maintained by the financing company
- You plan to stay in your home long enough to see the full savings
- You're in SMUD territory and want the $10,000 rebate
- You want to own the asset outright with no ongoing obligations
- You're planning to sell your home and want solar to add clean transferable value
- You can handle the upfront cost and prefer a simple payback structure
The honest answer: we don't know which is better for you until we see your bill, your roof, and your plans. That's what the free consult is for. We model both. You see the numbers. You decide.
Get a Free QuoteWhat actually happens
when we meet.
No pitch deck. No tablet signature on the same day.
You share your last 12 months of bills.
PG&E or SMUD, either works. You can send them before we talk, or we'll walk you through pulling them online in two minutes. That's all we need to size your system.
We design a system around your actual usage.
Not your square footage. Not a pre-built template. We size it to offset what you actually use.
We model both paths on one page.
Path A kWh rate vs your current PG&E or SMUD rate. Path B total cost, SMUD rebate if applicable, payback timeline. You see both side by side.
You ask questions. We answer them.
We're not timing you. There's no close at the end. Most people need a few days to think it over. That's exactly how it should work.
If you want to move forward, we send a written proposal.
If you don't, no problem. We're not calling you back 14 times. The consult is free and there's no obligation.
Questions we hear
on almost every call.
Is the 30% federal tax credit still available in 2026?
For cash purchases in 2026, no. The §25D residential credit ended December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The §48E commercial credit still applies to third-party owned systems and is reflected in Path A lease pricing. No installer can legally pitch the 30% credit to a cash buyer right now. If someone is, ask them to show you the IRS citation.
Does the lease put a lien on my home?
No. Path A does not use a UCC-1 fixture filing. The financing company secures the equipment as personal property, not as a fixture attached to your home. This is one of the specific reasons we offer this lease structure.
What happens when I sell my home?
On Path B (cash), the system transfers to the buyer as part of the home. Homes with owned solar typically sell for more. On Path A (lease), the buyer either assumes the lease or you buy it out before close. We handle the paperwork and walk you through timing it right.
Can I add a battery later if I don't do it now?
Yes. We can add a battery to a solar system at any time. If you're in SMUD territory, the rebate applies to batteries whether you add them with solar or after. The 90-day enrollment window runs from Permission to Operate for the battery. Timing matters if you want to maximize the rebate.
What's the difference between SMUD and PG&E for solar?
Significant. SMUD customers get the $10,000 battery rebate, lower baseline rates, and the Solar and Storage Rate. PG&E customers are on the Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0), which pays about 75% less for exported power than NEM 2.0 did. For PG&E homeowners, a battery is practically required for solar to make financial sense. For SMUD homeowners, the rebate changes the math completely. We know both systems well.
Free consult.
Your numbers. No pressure.
We'll pull up your bill, size a system to it, and show you both paths on one page. No same day close. No follow-up calls every other day.