The Davis Square Community

The usual deal is that the company that installs it owns it, and gets to keep the various tax credits and the like that are associated with the power generation. In MA, that mostly means Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), which are usually worth more than the electricity itself - something like $0.50 per kWh last year, but only $0.20 per kWh in recent auctions this year. SRECs are purchased by utility companies, who have a mandate to have some percentage of their power come from solar. A system that generates 5000 kWh over the course of a year makes around $1000-$2500 per year for the installers, which is a pretty good return on investment on a ~$20k set of panels and electronics. For the homeowner, they get a certain amount of cheap or free power, don't have to deal with the complexities of the SREC auction market or the risks in that market (including the risk that it will simply cease to exist if the legislature so desires), and know that the installed has a continued stake in the operation of the system.