[Deschodt]

You need to decide if you want to pay out of pocket (a substantial amount) for system of the size you really need, or for a smaller cheaper system that only helps "some" but you can afford, or lease a system (no cost to you for install, pay the man forever).

I am not in a position to say which is best, we are talking a substantial investment amount that even electrical savings would take decades to recoup, you may move, etc... Your "owned" system could face reliability issues and your installer could go out of business etc... The lease is probably highway robbery, but they are liable to fix it... + and minuses...

Me: I went with a lease, I'm OK with my choice 3y later, not ecstatic that they have a lien on my house for the panels for 20y but I didn't wanna shell out $60K. My results are: my power bill (total) went from $200 low -550 High to a constant $230 every month plus some variability with gas, call it $150 max extra in winter.. I still need gas for heating/water heater. So i'm not 100% free of utilities.

My net benefit in my mind is not so much how much I am saving - though I am saving a little:
a) my bill is very constant and predictable and inflation capped - my utility is not
b) I have a battery and therefore no outages - ever.. Even when they took down a power pole near my house all my stuff came back on in seconds, internet, work from home, etc... beats my old generator system. Storms, floods, brownouts, not me...
c) more power for other "stuff" - for the same $: Net metering is theft - they will pay you pennies... so I use it: I can use more power, more heater, more AC, recharge an EV 2x a week, and my bill is constant, I make enough juice that selling it back makes no sense, I use it.. so i get more for my $, even if I don't save enormously now (because I still use gas)

So will you pay less? maybe some, maybe a lot less, maybe not. Depends how much that costs you etc... What I got mostly from Solar is reliability when utilities are crap, or a line goes down, predictability, and guilt free consumption of power... Some savings sure. More savings for certain when i replace my gas furnace and water heater, but that costs $... If I did replace my furnace/water heater and bought the system, it would take a century to see my $ back. So you do your numbers based on your situation... All I can say is it works and having a battery is cool.