Rent-To-Own Solar for Businesses: Savings with $0 Upfront Capital

Rent-To-Own (RTO) solar is often misunderstood. Some businesses think it sounds too good to be true, while others worry it hides long term costs or financial traps.

In reality, when structured properly, RTO solar is one of the lowest-risk ways for businesses to reduce electricity costs from day one, without any upfront capital investment.

In this guide, we'll explain how our solar plans work at GetSolar, and whether it makes financial sense for your business.

How GetSolar's Rent-To-Own (RTO) Model Works

Rent-To-Own (RTO) solar allows businesses to install a rooftop solar system without paying any upfront capital. To get a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and how RTO solar works, visit our article here.

Here’s how it works:

• We design, install, and maintain the solar system on your building
• You don’t own or manage the system from Day 1
• Instead, you simply pay a fixed monthly solar rental fee
• We take full responsibility for maintenance, performance, and system uptime
• You use the solar energy generated to offset your grid electricity usage, lowering your electricity bills
• After the contract period, ownership transfers to you, and all electricity produced is free for you to use.

During the RTO period, your business benefits from immediate energy savings, while upfront costs, technical risk, and maintenance responsibilities are borne by us.

Is RTO Solar a Scam?

This is the most common concern, and it’s a fair one. Solar electricity is now significantly cheaper to produce than grid-supplied electricity.

The RTO model works because:

• We create a price gap between solar production costs and high grid tariffs by designing systems that give the best savings to export to ROI ratio.
• We calculate your ROI based on realistic sunlight hours, instead of "best-case" scenarios.
• Our contracts have NO hidden fees.
• Savings are achieved even after paying the fixed monthly rental fee.

Our Philosophy: If a project doesn't make financial sense for your specific building, we will advise you not to proceed.

3 Ways To Save From Day One

Savings begin as soon as your system is commissioned.

1. Lower Electricity Costs Than the Grid

Solar electricity is produced at a lower rate than your existing grid tariff. Depending on your system size and plan, your solar energy costs can be as low as $0.04/kWh.

That means:

• Every kilowatt-hour of solar used immediately reduces your electricity bill
• You pay less per unit than what SP Group (or your electricity retailer) charges

*Actual rates depend on system size and plan structure

2. Reduced Reliance on Grid Power

Solar generates electricity during the day, when commercial electricity tariffs are often at its highest.

This reduces your exposure to:

• Maximum demand charges
• Future tariff increases
• Volatile electricity pricing

3. Export Earnings (First 5–10 Years)

If your solar system generates more energy than you consume, the excess electricity is automatically exported back to the grid.

• These exports generate additional revenue
• Improve cash flow during the early years
• Helps businesses achieve net savings even after rental payments

What Most Businesses Experience With RTO Solar?

While results vary depending on building characteristics and energy usage, many commercial and industrial clients see:

• 50% or more reduction in their electricity bill
• Additional income from exports and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
• Predictable energy costs, protected from future tariff hikes

Once the RTO period ends and ownership transfers to you, the savings increase even further, because the system continues producing energy with no more rental payments.

Is Your Building Ready For Solar?

Although most roofs are compatible with solar, even small ones, certain rooftops require more work before a single panel can be hoisted on to it. We explore the top 3 considerations when assessing a rooftop for solar suitability in our dedicated article here.

Solar viability depends on factors such as:

• Roof size and structure
• Metering Scheme
• Shading and roof orientation
• Lease tenure and remaining term

No savings? No deal. Our Honesty Policy.

This is important.

If the numbers don’t work,

If savings are marginal,

If lease conditions are unsuitable,

👉 We will advise you not to proceed.

Long-term trust matters more than short-term deals. Solar should improve your cash flow, not complicate it.

The Bottom Line

Thankfully, you don’t need to commit heavy capital upfront, just fixed monthly payments and guaranteed system performance. RTO solar is about lowering energy costs without upfront risk.

• Low to $0 capital expenditure
• Immediate ROI from day one (for our 10 year Rent-To-Own)
• 100% of the energy generated belongs to you
• Professional system design, and ownership transfer included

Ready For A No-Nonsense Assessment?

Solar is a major financial commitment, no doubt. But it shouldn't be a source of stress. The initial 'sticker shock' will fade and be replaced with the security of a long-term investment that pays dividends for decades.

If you want to explore whether RTO solar makes sense for your business, try our Solar Calculator for a FREE solar estimate. Our team will be in touch shortly to explain the different RTO packages that we offer, according to your scale and requirements.

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