Solar panels in student apartment: worth it or not
Renting a student apartment 9 months/year, consumption is high and steady. Does solar pay back as landlord, or pass it to the tenant?
Apartment rented to 3-4 students in college town: 3500-5000 kWh/year (heavy use: daily laundry, electric heat, permanent electronics). Landlord has 3 strategies to monetize solar.
Strategy 1: install + pass-through bill
You install, tenants pay lower monthly bill. Raise rent $35-60/month (partial offset). Listing magnet: 'Apartment with solar, low electric bill'. Competitive edge in saturated rental markets.
Strategy 2: include electricity in rent
Offer 'utilities included' at flat rate. Students value simplicity of no extra contracts. You absorb consumption but solar covers it. Stable margin, attracts more careful tenants (they know you pay if they waste).
Strategy 3: separate solar subscription
Solar produces, you sell that energy to tenants at fixed price ($0.18/kWh, cheaper than grid $0.30). Separate contract from rent. More paperwork, but generates flow independent of rent.
How many panels
4-student shared 860 sqft apartment: 4 kWp = 10 panels. Building roof: if HOA allows and you live in unit, ok. Pure rental: HOA must vote and often refuses. Better balcony solar 800 W to start.
Landlord risks
Annual student turnover: install well-protected (microinverter inaccessible to user). Tenant unplugs: contract clause. HOA refuses: only individual balcony solar.
Compare with panels in HOA apartment.
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