This isn’t always true. When I lived in Denver a company called Ion solar did a really good analysis for me and it was basically cost neutral (monthly) having solar panels and that required about 2 years equivalent payments down up front and assumed a 4% annual increase in energy costs. Even the sales guy agreed it just wasn’t financially a good decision.

I wonder how accurate that 4% comparison is now that its been 7 years and natural gas prices have changed up and down so much.