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Calculator · Updated August 2026
What rate a PPA has to beat
We will not publish a PPA price. Here is the tool to judge the one you were quoted.
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The calculator
What rate would a PPA have to beat?
The utility increase is an assumption you choose, not a forecast we are making. Set it to 0 to see how the deal looks if rates never rise again — that is the honest stress test.
This is an estimate, not a savings guarantee.
It uses published utility rates, NREL regional sun data and a standard system derate. It does not know your roof orientation, your shading, your usage pattern or what your utility will charge next year. No solar company can honestly guarantee savings, and any that does is describing a model rather than making a promise.
Why this calculator works the way it does
We are not going to publish a PPA price. Rates depend on your roof, your production and your market, and a number on a web page would be fiction. What we can do is give you the tool to judge an offer you have in hand — ours or anyone else's.
A power purchase agreement is a bet with two variables: the rate you pay per kilowatt-hour, and the escalator that raises it each year. It wins if the rate stays below what your utility charges for the life of the agreement. That is the whole test.
The escalator is the number people miss
A PPA that starts several cents below your utility rate and escalates at 2.9% a year will overtake a utility that rises at 2% a year at some point in the term. Where that crossover lands — year 8 or year 22 — changes whether the agreement is good. Set the utility increase to zero in the calculator above and see what happens. If the deal only works when you assume aggressive utility inflation, that is worth knowing before you sign, not after.
What a fair comparison looks like
Compare against your all-in rate
Supply plus delivery plus riders. Not the Price to Compare, not the supply rate alone. Solar offsets what you would otherwise buy, so all-in is the right benchmark.
Ask what production the payment is based on
Under a PPA you pay for what the system produces. Ask what happens if production comes in under the estimate and get the answer in writing.
Read the transfer clause
The agreement travels with the house. Ask what happens if a buyer will not assume it.
Confirm who maintains it
Under a PPA the system owner carries maintenance for the term. That is a real part of the value and it should be stated in the document, not just in the pitch.
What a PPA is not
It is not ownership. You do not get the equipment, you do not get the renewable energy credits, and you do not get a federal tax credit — the 48E credit belongs to the owner of the system, which is what makes the zero-upfront structure possible in the first place. It is also not the same product as a $0-down solar loan, which puts debt in your name and is frequently advertised with identical language.
When a PPA is the wrong answer
If you have capital, plan to stay in the home for decades, and live in a state with strong net metering, buying usually produces more lifetime value. If the offered rate is close to your utility rate today, the escalator will erase the gap quickly. And if the only way the proposal works is a high assumed utility increase, it is a projection, not a deal.
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Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
We design your system and manage the project; installation is performed by vetted licensed partners in your area. SolarAmerica is not itself the installing contractor.
Questions
The things people actually ask
How do I know if a solar PPA is a good deal?
Compare the offered rate against your all-in utility rate today, then compare the escalator against how fast your utility has actually raised rates. If the deal only works assuming aggressive utility inflation, it is a projection rather than a deal.
What is a typical PPA escalator?
Agreements commonly carry an annual escalator, and some carry none. The number is negotiable and it should be stated plainly in the document. A zero-escalator agreement at a slightly higher starting rate is often better over a full term than a low starting rate that climbs.
Do I get the tax credit with a PPA?
No. The 48E credit applies to the owner of the system, which under a PPA is the provider. That is what makes a $0-upfront structure possible. The residential credit, 25D, ended for systems purchased after December 31, 2025.
Is a PPA the same as a $0-down solar loan?
No, and they are advertised almost identically. A loan puts debt in your name and you own the system. A PPA has no loan and no lien, and the provider owns the system.
Get the number for your actual roof
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