7.3 The real cost: you end up paying 5× the market price of the system

Simple math on a 25-year contract:

• An 8 kW + 14 kWh system at market price ≈ $25k
• Buying outright: monthly payment of $400, paid off in 5 years
• PPA: starting at $300/month with a 2.9% annual escalator, cumulative payment over 25 years ≈ $129.6k
• And at the end of those 25 years, you still don't own the equipment

Conclusion: you paid 5× the system's real cost to get the exact same generation capacity that buying outright would provide — plus a 25-year contract hanging over your head.