When you choose to rent solar panels, you don't have to make a significant investment. Instead, you pay a monthly rental fee to the solar panel supplier. The supplier installs the solar panels on your roof and you use the electricity they generate. However, the supplier remains the owner of the solar panel system. That is the biggest difference between renting and buying solar panels. This page covers the following topics:
If your roof is suitable for solar panels you can in principle rent solar panels. At our subsidiary Huurdezon it applies that there should not be too much shade on the roof, there should be enough space for at least 8 solar panels and that the roof, in the case of a sloping roof, should be oriented between southeast and southwest. As soon as the solar panels are installed on your roof, you immediately start saving on your electricity bill. The electricity generated by the solar panels is for you and this part of your consumption no longer needs to be purchased from your energy supplier.
The supplier remains the owner of the solar panels and is also responsible for repairing any damage and maintenance. However, you can choose to take over the solar panels at any time. The price you then pay consists of the new value of the system minus the purchase discount you build up each year. After 25 years, the system automatically becomes yours. If you want to terminate the rental contract earlier and do not want to buy the solar panels, that is also possible. You will then be responsible for the costs associated with removing the system.
When you rent solar panels, the solar panels are installed on your roof free of charge. From that moment on, you only pay a monthly rental fee to be able to use the generated solar power. The total cost consists of the monthly rental fee. We demonstrate how the price of renting solar panels can look like with an example.
Suppose you have 8 solar panels installed on your roof, then you pay a fixed rental fee of 36 euros per month. With the solar panels, you generate an average of 42 euros per month in electricity. This reduces the advance payment to your energy supplier by 42 euros per month. Your savings are then 6 euros per month. This is an advantage of over 15%.
However, you should be aware that when renting solar panels, a portion of the interest is always included in the monthly rental fee. Therefore, buying solar panels will always generate the highest return. Still, renting solar panels is also certainly a profitable alternative.
First of all, it is important that the yield calculation takes into account orientation and shade. But what if the solar panels generate less than expected? If this is the case, the monthly rental fee may be higher than the monthly savings on the electricity bill. This could mean that the rented solar panels are no longer profitable. So make sure your supplier offers a yield guarantee.
If the solar panels work well, you may decide to prefer to become the owner of the solar panels yourself. When you switch from renting solar panels to buying solar panels, you benefit from advantages such as the refund of VAT and higher savings. But the supplier must give you this option. Always check whether your supplier makes it easy for you to take over the solar panels during or after the rental period.
Of course, it may be that you move before the rental period of the solar panels has expired. What happens to the solar panels then? Look carefully at the options your supplier offers. For example, is it possible to transfer the contract to the new homeowner? Or can you take over the solar panels and sell them with the home?
The great advantage of renting solar panels is that you don't have to worry about maintenance and active monitoring. But are the solar panels also insured against damage, for example from storm or fire that occurred through no fault of your own? It's nice if you don't have to worry about this and the supplier insures you of a well-functioning system for the entire lifetime of the solar panels.
