Third-party ownership in US solar
Lease/PPA share of recorded installations — the ownership split behind the post-ITC shift, by state and by year.
Dataset updated . Refreshed from LBNL's Tracking the Sun public releases.
All-time TPO share
31%
1,055,690 of 3,426,466
2024 TPO share
21%
Highest-TPO state
New Jersey
65%
By state
TPO share by state
| State | TPO share | TPO installs | All installs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 65% | 125,918 | 192,243 |
| Connecticut | 61% | 33,459 | 54,917 |
| Massachusetts | 53% | 74,292 | 140,908 |
| Illinois | 47% | 28,828 | 61,031 |
| District of Columbia | 42% | 5,596 | 13,411 |
| New York | 42% | 67,190 | 161,816 |
| California | 31% | 596,004 | 1,921,220 |
| Arizona | 29% | 86,541 | 293,541 |
| Colorado | 29% | 31,886 | 108,882 |
| Delaware | 25% | 1,990 | 7,866 |
| Vermont | 10% | 2,809 | 27,681 |
| Oregon | 3% | 236 | 7,021 |
| Maryland | 2% | 419 | 27,227 |
| Rhode Island | 1% | 55 | 4,630 |
| Arkansas | 1% | 1 | 117 |
| Minnesota | 0% | 81 | 16,804 |
| Wisconsin | 0% | 49 | 17,251 |
| New Mexico | 0% | 90 | 53,058 |
| Texas | 0% | 234 | 204,286 |
| Florida | 0% | 11 | 12,486 |
| Washington | 0% | 1 | 6,327 |
| Utah | 0% | 0 | 46,838 |
| Maine | 0% | 0 | 12,751 |
| Virginia | 0% | 0 | 10,986 |
| New Hampshire | 0% | 0 | 9,996 |
| Pennsylvania | 0% | 0 | 9,412 |
| Ohio | 0% | 0 | 3,760 |
Over time
TPO share by year
| Year | TPO share | Installs |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 0% | 5,673 |
| 2006 | 0% | 8,823 |
| 2007 | 3% | 13,538 |
| 2008 | 5% | 16,679 |
| 2009 | 6% | 29,338 |
| 2010 | 12% | 42,755 |
| 2011 | 28% | 55,106 |
| 2012 | 49% | 73,953 |
| 2013 | 43% | 110,927 |
| 2014 | 37% | 162,298 |
| 2015 | 46% | 255,812 |
| 2016 | 48% | 297,522 |
| 2017 | 37% | 236,474 |
| 2018 | 33% | 244,128 |
| 2019 | 32% | 269,067 |
| 2020 | 30% | 281,782 |
| 2021 | 25% | 343,393 |
| 2022 | 21% | 448,420 |
| 2023 | 22% | 483,584 |
| 2024 | 21% | 15,138 |
Frequently asked questions
What is third-party ownership (TPO) in solar?
A third-party-owned system is one the homeowner does not own — a lease or power-purchase agreement where a company (Sunrun, formerly SolarCity/Tesla, etc.) owns the panels and sells the power or capacity. The alternative is host ownership via cash or a solar loan.
What share of home solar is third-party owned?
31% of all recorded installations are third-party owned; in 2024 the share was 21%. The mix varies sharply by state — New Jersey leads at 65%.