The option to purchase your solar PV system has higher up-front costs, but allows you to own the system and have full access to all revenues that are generated. Ownership of your solar electric system is very much like owning your home and owning your own solar system to power that home, rather than renting utility power indefinitely.

Pursuing this option will require a solar vendor to both sell you the solar PV system (and all necessary equipment) and, usually, to install the system. Once the system has been installed you may be responsible for ongoing operation and maintenance of the system, however, some solar companies will sign an agreement with you to provide those services. This will increase the cost of the system but ensures that your system is being maintained by a qualified professional, keeping it performing optimally and helps to increase its useful life.

This type of ownership option is available in all jurisdictions in Canada (where solar PV systems are sold) regardless of the way that you will be compensated (if at all) for the electricity generated by your system. We will cover the main ways customers are compensated for their generated electricity in Section 4, below.