Ways to get solar energy in Florida in 2026, compared

There are five main ways to have solar energy on your roof: paying cash, a loan, a lease or PPA, a prepaid lease and a 3-or-5-year subscription. They differ in three things that matter more than the monthly amount: who owns the system, whether it leaves you with debt, and how you get out when you sell the house. This guide puts them side by side, with the truth about each one.

Why does how you pay matter more than the price?

Because two homes with the same system can end up in opposite places after 10 years. One has paid-off equipment. The other has 15 more years of contract with a third party. One sells without friction. The other has to ask the buyer to take on a payment. The price per watt is the same. The structure is what changed.

You are right to distrust anyone who shows you one option without explaining the others. That is why this guide includes the ones we do not offer. My Home Solutions offers the subscription. If another option fits you better, we tell you.

What are the five options and how do they differ?

Sources for the ranges: lease/PPA and prepaid terms and escalators per EnergySage. The subscription, per the My Home Solutions agreement. The rest is structure, not figures.

There is a sixth route, PACE: financing collected through your property tax bill. Florida Statute 163.081 governs it. It does not look at your score, but it puts a lien on the house. The FHFA says Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not buy mortgages on homes with first-lien PACE, so selling or refinancing almost always forces you to pay it off. That is why it is not in the table of options we would recommend.

Heads up: “no upfront cost” does not mean “no cost”. In a lease, PPA or a loan with a dealer fee, the cost is spread over time or hidden in the price. The right question is not “how much do I pay today?”. It is “how much do I pay in total and what do I have at the end?”.

What changed with the federal credit in 2026?

The 30% credit for buyers (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025, according to the IRS. That makes buying with cash or a loan more expensive than in 2025. The credit for third-party-owned systems (Section 48E) remains through the end of 2027: the owner of the lease, PPA or subscription uses it, and in theory it reaches you as a lower price. Full details in the federal solar tax credit in 2026. Confirm your case with your tax preparer.

Which one fits your profile?

Each row has its guide: subscription, solar loan, lease and PPA, prepaid lease. If credit is the problem, start with solar energy with bad credit. To see numbers for your case, use the payment options comparison.

When none of the five makes sense

• Your bill is low. The savings do not cover any payment and the utility minimum charge is still there. Read net metering in Florida first.
• Your roof has heavy shade or needs replacing. No financing fixes a bad roof. It only makes it more expensive to fix later.
• You are on a municipal utility or a co-op. They have their own net metering rules and the numbers have to be run separately.
• You are moving in a few months. Even the subscription needs time: the true-up happens at month 12.

What to check before you decide

• Ask for the same home in at least two structures (for example cash and subscription) and compare the total, not the monthly amount.
• Ask in writing who owns the system in year 1, year 6 and year 25.
• Ask exactly what happens when you sell: who pays what and whether the buyer has to qualify.
• Check for a dealer fee, an escalator or a lien. If the answer is “don’t worry about that”, worry. Use how to read a solar proposal.
• Check the roof’s remaining life before signing anything longer than 5 years.