90% of the time ownership of a solar PV system is the best approach. By owning your own system you have the ability to get free electricity for decades after the pay-off period end, typically for residential about 8-11 years. Since the system should last 35-40 years, that is a long period of time you will be making money by not having to buy electricity. With a lease you never get free electricity bills as you always have to pay the leasing company for the power produced on your roof.
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So in the rare case when someone has no access to added capital to buy a solar system the lease may be the only option that works and at least one still gets green energy. However most people who own a home have some equity in the home that allows for a second mortgage to pay for the solar system or at minimum can get an energy home improvement loan to afford the purchase. In almost all cases the monthly loan payment to the bank will be lower than what the electric bill was prior to building the photovoltaic system.
So why lease! If you lease the leasing company takes the federal tax credit not you; the leasing company becomes an added layer in the mix who has to make money too; and most importantly when you go to sell your home people do not want to buy a home where they have to take over you lease deal. Realtors will tell you that a leased solar system complicates the sale immensely and often scuttles the sale.
