You cannot take advantage of tax credits (e.g., you have low tax liability), you prefer a "hands-off" maintenance approach, or you want immediate savings without any upfront investment.
A purchased system typically pays for itself in 6 to 9 years . After that, the electricity generated is essentially free for the remainder of the system's life (25+ years). solar power lease vs buy
When you purchase a system, you are the sole beneficiary of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which currently allows you to deduct 30% of the installation cost from your federal taxes. You also keep any local rebates or Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs). You cannot take advantage of tax credits (e