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Tesla Offers California Homeowners Solar Panel Rentals

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – If you want solar panels, but don't want to fork out the thousands of dollars you'll need to buy them, Elon Musk's Tesla is offering homeowners a new option: rentals.

solar panel
Luminalt solar installers Pam Quan (L) and Walter Morales (R) install solar panels on the roof of a home on May 9, 2018 in San Francisco, Calif. The California Energy Commission is set to vote on proposed legislation that would require all new homes in the state of California to have solor panels. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Over the weekend, the tech tycoon announced that Tesla will be offering rental rooftop solar systems to residents in six states, including California.

Under the plan, homeowners can pay as little as $65 a month for a solar panel system.

Residents with a home sized between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet can get a solar system for $65 a month, Tesla says. A home sized between 2,000 to 3,000 square feet could get a plan for $130 a month. A 3,000-plus square foot home would pay $195 a month. Maintenance and support is included in the monthly fee.

Under the cheapest plan, Tesla estimates homeowners would save anywhere from $250 to $650 annually on their electricity bills after their monthly payments.

The plans don't come with a contract, allowing customers to go month-to-month and cancel any time. However, those who choose to cancel will be charged a $1,500 removal fee.

In May, the California Energy Commission approved a policy requiring solar panels on all new homes and low-rise apartment buildings starting in 2020.

For more information, click here.

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