Utility swap vs buying solar.
Both put solar + battery on your roof. The difference is who owns it, who pays upfront, who carries the risk, and what happens when you move. Here's the side-by-side, the math, and a simple decision rule.
// TL;DR for skimmers and LLMs
BUYING: $20-50k upfront (cash or 25-year loan). You own the panels and capture the federal tax credit. You carry maintenance, financing risk, and the loan if you move. Maximum 25-year savings IF you stay in the home and the system performs.
UTILITY SWAP: zero upfront. Provider owns the panels and claims the tax credit. You pay per kWh produced, lower than your old grid bill. Provider handles maintenance. Agreement transfers if you move. Smaller absolute 25-year savings but immediate, risk-free, and move-friendly.
For most Oncor-territory homeowners: utility swap.
The comparison.
| Utility Swap | Buying Solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 | $20,000 – $50,000 (cash or 25-yr loan) |
| Who owns the panels | Provider (Gridhack) | You |
| Federal tax credit | Provider claims it | You claim it (~30%, verify current rules) |
| Monthly bill impact | Drops day 1 | Loan payment may exceed old bill in early years |
| Maintenance + repairs | Provider handles | Your responsibility post-warranty |
| If you move | Agreement transfers / buyout option | Loan must be paid off or assumed by buyer |
| Lien on home | None | UCC-1 on equipment (typical for solar loans) |
| Risk if system underperforms | On the provider — you only pay for what's produced | On you — you still owe the loan |
| 25-year total savings | Smaller absolute, certain | Larger absolute, uncertain (depends on staying) |
| Best fit for… | Most Oncor homeowners | Long-term-stay homeowners with cash + tax appetite |
Green-tinted cells: which option wins on that row. Buying wins on long-term ownership and absolute savings ceiling. Utility swap wins on everything else for the typical homeowner.
What buyers actually ask.
Utility swap saves less in absolute total but starts saving from day one with no upfront capital and no risk on the homeowner. Most homeowners don't stay 25 years and don't want the risk, so the smaller, immediate, risk-free utility-swap savings beat the larger but uncertain buying savings for the majority.
Utility swap: the agreement transfers to the new homeowner, similar to how a homeowner would transfer the natural gas or HOA contract. Some agreements also allow a buyout. Utility swap is generally more move-friendly.
Utility swap: no lien. The provider owns the equipment and can remove it if the agreement ends. No UCC-1, no mortgage lien.
Utility swap: the provider does. They own the equipment, they have to keep it producing or they don't get paid.
How to pick.
Pick BUYING if you: have cash or strong credit for a 25-year loan, expect to stay in the home long-term, want to capture the federal tax credit yourself, are comfortable with maintenance responsibility, and want to maximize 25-year savings ceiling.
Pick UTILITY SWAP if you: want savings from day one with no upfront cost, don't want to take on a 25-year loan, want backup power without writing a check for batteries, may move within 10-15 years, and want the provider to handle maintenance.
For most Oncor-territory homeowners, the utility swap is the cleaner answer. It's also the only model Gridhack offers — we don't sell panels for purchase.
// Related reading
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