There are four main ways to pay for your home solar system: upfront with cash, a solar loan, through a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA), or with a pre-paid lease or PPA. . If you're paying $200 per month today, that's about $89,482 you'll spend on electricity in the next 25 years, accounting for inflation. Solar panel systems typically last 25 years or more and offset most or all of your monthly electric bill, which means you can avoid the vast majority of that. . Fortunately, there are options for financing solar panels that make it possible to benefit from solar energy savings without paying the hefty upfront cost. Solar leases are another option, allowing homeowners to enjoy the benefits of solar panels without maintenance fees. Choosing the. . In this guide, we'll walk you through the different ways to pay for solar, so you can choose the option that makes the most sense for your goals and your budget.