In a Facebook video, an unidentified man sitting in a vehicle intoned that he’s sharing a secret that solar companies want to hide.
The companies “have to give solar panels away for completely no net cost, if you ask,” he claimed.
These giveaways supposedly result from a federal “solar stimulus program” to fight climate change.
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
The federal government is promoting solar power through measures such as tax credits, part of the Biden administration’s effort to support renewable energy technologies.
But there is no federal requirement that solar companies give away solar panels.
“Solar companies are not required to give away solar panels and very rarely do so,” said Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the U.S. Energy Department’s Solar Energy Technologies Office.
Meanwhile, consumers should mind the details in offers of “free solar panels.” Market Watch reported, “The phrase ‘free solar panels’ is a misleading marketing tactic some companies use.”
The federal Energy Department and recent news reports have raised awareness about offers of “free solar panels.”
EcoWatch, an environmental news website, reported that with such offers, the customer is not buying the panels but essentially leasing them. Although customers pay money down, they will pay monthly bills for the lease, the energy, or both.
Forbes reported that under such deals, the solar company handles installation and maintenance for up to 25 years. After that, the customer might have a chance to buy the panels, otherwise the solar company will remove the panels. Signing an agreement to lease the panels will make the customer ineligible for any rebates, federal tax credits or local solar incentives.
Some states subsidize solar energy for income-qualified households.
Emily Robichaux, a commercial banker for sustainability at Amalgamated Bank, which finances solar development, said some state and local programs for lower-income households offer solar developers incentives to provide solar power for free or at discounted rates.
But that does not make the video’s claim about mandatory solar panel giveaways accurate. We rate the claim False.
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