Home solar gets $280 million boost from Google - CSMonitor.com
Google is investing $280 million with solar installer SolarCity to finance rooftop solar systems for homeowners who can't afford the $25,000–$30,000 upfront cost, allowing customers to pay a fixed rate for the power generated instead. Google profits through federal tax credits (30% of costs), accelerated depreciation benefits, state and local tax credits, and interest payments from SolarCity, with analysts estimating returns exceeding 10 percent and potentially reaching 20 percent. The deal is expected to finance 10,000 solar installations over 18 months and signals Google's broader commitment to clean energy investments, which now total $680 million across wind and solar projects nationwide.