Tpo solar

What is the difference between a PPA and a TPO Solar System?

Under the PPA arrangement the system is installed at no cost to the homeowner, while the PPA locks in an electricity rate (typically lower than the utility) with the third-party to ensure a predictable rate structure. By comparison, leasing a solar system under a TPO arrangement offers a similar experience to leasing a car.

What is a TPO roof?

TPO stands for Thermoplastic Olefin, a type of single-ply roofing membrane made from a blend of polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubber. TPO roofing is a popular option for flat and low-slope roofs. Which roof is better, EPDM or TPO?

What is a TPO & how does it work?

As mentioned above, a TPO arrangement may come in one of two forms, a PPA or an equipment lease. Under the PPA arrangement the system is installed at no cost to the homeowner, while the PPA locks in an electricity rate (typically lower than the utility) with the third-party to ensure a predictable rate structure.

Can you lease a solar system under a TPO arrangement?

By comparison, leasing a solar system under a TPO arrangement offers a similar experience to leasing a car. Homeowners pay off the system over time with the option to purchase the equipment outright at anytime. Leases can be structured to ensure no up-front system cost or partial system cost depending on homeowner needs.

Is TPO a leaking roof?

But the important thing to remember is that TPO is still a single-ply material, which means that it is far more susceptible to punctures (and puncture-related leaks) than other low-slope roofing materials such as built-up roofing or modified bitumen membranes. TPO has a much shorter track record than other roof systems.

Are TPO membranes thermoplastic?

TPO membranes are thermoplastic, unlike EPDM roofing, for instance, which is thermoset. Thermoplastic means that you can always use heat (hot air at roughly 1000° Fahrenheit) to weld patches onto or otherwise modify a TPO membrane for the life of the roof. (Thermoset means you can’t. You have to use adhesives.)