The upfront price for an average-sized residential solar system has fallen from $40,000 in 2010 to about $25,000 today. Meanwhile, utility-scale solar now costs between $16/MWh and $35/MWh, making it competitive with all other types of energy generation.
If you sign a solar lease, you pay a flat monthly "rent" to Sunrun in exchange for electricity. If you sign a PPA, you commit to paying a fixed rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the electricity your solar panels generate, which means your monthly payment will fluctuate depending on how much energy you use.
But the average cost of a Sunrun project, according to a 2023 report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is just over $4 per watt. A typical Sunrun installation generates 7,500 watts
A decade ago, an average 6 kilowatt hour residential solar system could cost more than $50,000. Now, the outright cost of a typical home installation ranges from $16,200 to $21,400, which is a 62% average annual decrease. From the price of hardware to ongoing maintenance, learn more about the cost of home solar.
A decade ago, an average 6 kilowatt hour residential solar system could cost more
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In a crowded residential solar marketplace, SolarCity and Sunrun are among the most recognizable names in the industry.
SolarCity is perhaps most well-known for its ties to Elon Musk and Tesla, while Sunrun''s claim to fame is that they pioneered the business model of solar leasing arrangements, which are a mainstay in the industry today.
Founded in 2006 by brothers Peter and Lyndon Rive, SolarCity is a full-service solar provider headquartered in San Mateo, CA. SolarCity was acquired by Tesla in 2016. Thanks primarily to its affiliation with Tesla, SolarCity is a major player in the energy storage and electric vehicle charging markets, in addition to offering conventional residential and commercial solar products.
SolarCity claims over 300,000 residential customers and several thousand cumulative megawatts of installed solar capacity.
Founded in 2007 by Lynn Jurich, Sunrun is a full-service solar provider headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Initially, the company was strictly a third-party ownership provider, offering solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs). In 2015, Sunrun began offering customer ownership options.
Sunrun claims over 160,000 customers and over 1,100 cumulative megawatts of installed solar capacity. Service Territory
The footprint of both SolarCity and Sunrun is comparable, with both companies covering much of the Northeast, West Coast and Southwestern United States. SolarCity operates in 23 states, while Sunrun operates in 21 states.
As a larger vertically-integrated company, SolarCity’s main difference with Sunrun is that they manufacture some solar products and that they use their own workers to install their products. SolarCity also has a reputation for having longer lasting solar panels, which is reflected in their attractive warranty terms.
On their website, Sunrun mentions that the total cost of installation for their products can fall between $15,000 and $29,000 for average sized solar energy systems between 4 kWh and 8 kWh. This would work out to a price per watt of $3.75 for the 4 kWh system and $3.63 for the 8 kWh system. These figures should be viewed as rough estimates given the myriad of factors that will ultimately affect the total cost of a solar PV installation.
SolarCity is less public about the price of their systems, but their earnings statements reveal a low creation cost per watt. In Q3 of 2016 (before Tesla acquisition) SolarCity reported a cost per watt of $2.89. By comparison, Sunrun''s cost per watt was $3.44 in Q3 of 2017. SolarCity''s premium solar products, like the Tesla solar roof, come at a price premium, however, that puts it out of reach for most American households. A Tesla solar roof covering 70% of an average American home will set the homeowner back over $50,000.
Individual customer experiences are going to vary, but the below aggregation of customer reviews from various sources gives Sunrun a slight edge in customer satisfaction over SolarCity. All ratings are out of 5 stars.
SolarCity and Sunrun are both stable and reliable companies in an industry that can be prone to volatility.
Generally speaking, Sunrun may be a good fit for you if you plan to lease your panels or if you want to set up a PPA since this is Sunrun''s bread and butter. SolarCity may be a better option if you want to buy your PV system, especially given their reputation for having long-lasting panels.
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Aniket Bhor is a writer and solar engineer with a decade of industry experience. Over the years, he has managed solar energy installations and marketing and has written for solar businesses and magazines all over the world.
Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York''s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.
With over 900,000 customers served over 15 years, Sunrun''s industry experience is noteworthy — it is the largest dedicated residential solar company in the U.S. A key reason for Sunrun''s growth is its solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPA), which can help make solar energy more accessible for all types of budgets.
About Sunrun price per kwh
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Sunrun price per kwh have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Sunrun price per kwh for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Sunrun price per kwh featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
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