Chapter 8 · Payback and ROI
8.8 Mindset: treat solar as a financial product
- Annualized return is roughly 12–18% in NEM 3.0 California, and 7–10% even in Texas — far above I-Bonds, CDs, and most equity dividend yields.
- When you buy an investment property, the $800K sticker doesn't scare you because you focus on rental yield. Treat solar the same way: look at IRR (internal rate of return), not the absolute price tag.
- The only real risk is policy change — December 31, 2025 was a fresh, concrete example of that risk. So sooner is better than later.
Next Step
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