Vivint Solar

A quick Google on Vivint talked about their rental program. Even Vivint was hedging about their long term prospects and there were some complaints. I just skimmed my search results but doubt I would go with Vivint and doubt I would go with a long term lease. Times are very uncertain.

Retired but I do energy consulting and IMO best long term investment is energy efficiency for our homes.

Bud

Are you thinking about a PPA, lease, loan or outright purchase?

Vivint? Like the home security folks? I didn't know they did solar...

Anyway, so I had them for home security/safety for... idk 10 years or something, forever in my mind really, had no complaints. There was a little confusion getting the service turned off, took a few months, but it's kinda sorta my fault for not checking up on their having charged me again straight away.

I turned the service off because we didn't really use it, but mostly because when the power goes off so does the system, making it basically useless for most emergency uses around here, which is primarily why I had it at all. Cell phones worked, Vivint security system did not; though they did call me up on the panel thing three hours after the quake, when power was restored, to ask if we were alright - they do get some points for that at least heh -- Also, the system auto emails if the power goes off - if this were a second home or our old cabin I'd probs have kept the thing just for that feature alone.

djlandkpl said:

are you thinking about a ppa, lease, loan or outright purchase?

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ppa..

greedo737 said:

ppa..

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Do your homework and speak with several companies before doing anything. Each state and utility is different in how they handle solar systems. The fact Vivint is doing solar business in you area indicates there are good incentives. That's how they make $$.

My personal experience. In 2015, a solar company knocked on my door to sell a PPA. I was curious about solar so I started the discussions. The PPA was estimated to save approx. $8K over 25 years assuming electric rates increased at 3 to 4% per year. Over the last 5 years my rates have changed 2 to 3%. If I had done a PPA, I would be paying more for electricity vs. not having solar system.

The conversation changed to buying the system. At the time, all of the Federal, State and utility incentives made it a no brainer to own vs. PPA/lease. In the end, I purchased a system. The system will pay for itself over 7 years (2 years to go).

I had a Vivint salesman try to sell us on solar in our previous house. I signed up just to get him to go away, then canceled. Too much of a huckster.