Finally, a solar lease we can get behind, because we created it with favorable terms!
Our lowest-cost path to solar with flexible options for future ownership
The residential federal tax credit has expired, but Positive Energy Solar is keeping affordable clean energy alive in New Mexico. Introducing the Positive Path to Solar Program—an innovative prepaid solar lease that gives you an immediate discount up to 30% and option for solar ownership in as little as 6 years.
The Solution: How we kept the 30% solar tax incentive value
The residential solar tax credit may have ended, but the federal incentive remains available for commercial solar projects under Section 48E, including third-party ownership (TPO).
By structuring your system under a third-party ownership (TPO) model, commercial entities like Positive Energy—as the system owner—qualifies for the commercial credit and accelerated asset depreciation. Those anticipated benefits are reflected in the pricing to you for your partial prepaid lease rent, including no additional payments for the first five years. After 5-years, you may elect to purchase the system at its then-current Fair Market Value (FMV).
How Our Positive Path Prepaid Solar Lease Works
You make an upfront payment with no additional monthly payments for 5 years (60 months). At Year 6 (month 61), you are in control: you can purchase the system at Fair Market Value to eliminate lease payments forever, or smoothly transition to a low, fixed monthly payment for the remainder of the 15-year lease. Either way, your system continues to have a manufacturer warranty and energy savings.
- Year 0: The Prepayment. You make an upfront payment, locking in your effective discount of up to 30%.
- Years 1-5: The Prepaid Term. Positive Energy Solar installs, monitors & maintains the system—providing a guaranteed production output.
- Year 6: Your First Ownership Window. You can take full ownership with a fair market value (FMV) payment. You receive a credit for unaccrued lease payments you previously made, applied to the FMV. This credit can substantially reduce the amount you pay to purchase the system.
- Years 6-15: The Optional Extension. Not ready to buy? You can continue the lease with low, fixed monthly payments and a guaranteed 0% annual escalator.
- Years 15+: End of Term Options. You can choose to purchase the system at its then-current FMV, request a five-year extension, or remove at no cost.
Key Benefits
- Lower out of pocket cost: Enjoy up to a 30% discount on the effective cost versus purchasing outright. No additional payments for 5 years.
- Performance, monitoring & maintenance costs are covered for 5 years.
- Simplified home-sale transfer: There’s no credit check or qualification process clouding the sale.
- No Rate Escalators for Long-Term Stability: If you choose to continue leasing after Year 5, your monthly payment is locked in with a 0% annual increase. While utility rates climb every year, your solar payment will never go up.
- Local Accountability: Your system is designed, installed, and monitored by our employee-owned New Mexico team—not handed off to a nameless, out-of-state bank.
- Receive the quality workmanship & reliability Positive Energy Solar is known for.
Not Your Average Solar Lease
Traditional solar leases are typically structured as long-term financing agreements in which a lender owns the system for 25 years, often working in partnership with a separate installation company. Because installation, ownership, and servicing may involve different entities, homeowners can sometimes experience performance issues or service delays, creating frustration and a lack of clear accountability.
With Positive Energy Solar’s Prepaid Solar Lease Program, your system isn’t handed off to a distant finance company for decades. It is designed, built, monitored, and professionally managed by the same local team, with terms allowing transferring full ownership to you after only 5 years.
| Feature | Positive Path Prepaid Solar Lease | Conventional Solar Lease |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Structure | Single upfront discounted prepayment; No additional payments for 5 years. Fixed rate, no escalators if continued years 6-15. | Locked into decades of monthly payments, frequently with annual cost escalators. |
| System Management & Accountability | Designed, installed, and monitored by a single, locally owned New Mexico team. | Owned by a distant, out-of-state finance company. |
| Pathway to Ownership | Option to take ownership after 5-years for with FMV payment. | Designed for the lender to retain ownership for 25 years, often with no early buyout options. |
| Selling Your Home | Simplified transfer. Because the initial term is prepaid, there are no credit checks or monthly payment transfers required for the buyer. | Complicated hurdles. The new buyer must financially qualify to take over the lease, or the seller faces penalty buyouts. |
| Performance Guarantees | Positive Energy Solar is contractually responsible for all maintenance, monitoring, and production guarantees during the initial term. | Installation, ownership, and servicing are often split among multiple entities, leaving accountability unclear if the system underperforms. Generally no performance guarantees. |
Ready to Secure Your Savings?
Stop waiting for legislative changes and start saving today. Contact our local New Mexico solar experts to see if the Positive Path Prepaid Lease is right for your home.
