When you buy a solar cell through Sunbucks, it can be leased back to Sunbucks under a fixed-term equipment-rental agreement. But what happens when the Sunbucks solar cell rental term ends?
Every Sunbucks project has a fixed Site Start Date and Site End Date. The rental period begins when the solar site becomes operational, starts producing energy and begins generating commercial income.
Current Sunbucks projects typically run for around 12 to 18 years, depending on the individual project.
When the Site End Date is reached, equipment-rental fees for that project stop and the solar installation is transferred or donated to the organisation identified in the Project Information, such as a school, hospital or other approved host.
Your Rental Schedule Is Linked to the Project
Every Sunbucks cell within the same project follows the same project timeline. The Site Start Date and Site End Date are fixed for the project rather than being based on the date each customer purchases a cell.
- a fixed Site Start Date
- a fixed Site End Date
- a predetermined equipment-rental fee schedule
- an end-of-term transfer or donation arrangement
This keeps the rental schedule consistent for comparable cells within the same project.
Your Rental Schedule Is Fair From Day One
If you purchase a cell after the project has already started, you do not lose the rental fees that have already accrued for that cell from the original Site Start Date, where the Project Information provides for accrued rental fees.
For example: Project Start Date: 1 January 2025. Project End Date: 31 December 2042. Cell Purchase Date: 6 February 2027.
In this example, your rental allocation can include the equipment-rental fees accrued between 1 January 2025 and 6 February 2027. The cell then continues on the normal project rental schedule until 31 December 2042.
The Site End Date does not move because the cell was purchased later. This means comparable cells in the same project remain connected to the same overall rental schedule.
How Long Does a Sunbucks Rental Term Last?
Current Sunbucks projects generally have rental terms of approximately 12 to 18 years.
The exact period depends on factors such as project location, host organisation, equipment used, commercial arrangements, equipment warranties and project economics. The exact Site Start Date and Site End Date are shown in the relevant Project Information before purchase.
What Happens on the Site End Date?
When the Site End Date arrives, equipment-rental fees for that project stop.
The solar installation is then transferred or donated to the school, hospital, community organisation or other approved recipient identified in the project terms. The organisation can continue benefiting from the solar installation after the Sunbucks rental period has ended.
This end-of-term transfer is built into the project structure from the beginning.
What Happens in My Sunbucks Dashboard?
When a project reaches its Site End Date, your dashboard will stop showing future rental fees for cells associated with that project.
This does not affect your other active Sunbucks projects. If you own cells across several projects, each project continues according to its own Site Start Date, Site End Date and rental schedule. Only the project that has reached its end date stops generating equipment-rental fees.
What Is the Minimum Sunbucks Purchase?
The minimum purchase is one solar cell, or one Sunbuck.
A single Sunbuck currently costs just over €2 in some projects, although the exact price can vary depending on the size, location and economics of the individual project. You do not need to purchase an entire solar panel or make a large initial purchase. You can start with one cell, subject to availability in the relevant project.
How Are Sunbucks Rental Fees Calculated?
Each project has its own predetermined equipment-rental fee schedule.
For a more detailed explanation, read How Are Sunbucks Solar Cell Rental Fees Calculated?.
The full schedule can also be viewed using the Sunbucks Cell Rental Calculator.
Across the total project period, the scheduled rental payments are calculated to correspond to an annualised 10% Internal Rate of Return, or IRR.
IRR is a mathematical method used to summarise a stream of payments occurring at different times. It does not mean Sunbucks pays 10% interest every year. It is also not a dividend, profit share, investment yield or guaranteed financial return.
The contractual payments are equipment-rental fees paid for Sunbucks' use of your identified solar cell.
Does Withdrawing Rental Fees Reduce Future Payments?
No. Withdrawing rental fees that have already become available does not reduce the future scheduled rental fees associated with your cell. The rental schedule remains linked to the use of the cell during the project's fixed rental term.
Does the Solar Cell Increase in Value?
The Sunbucks model does not depend on the solar cell increasing in value. Solar equipment naturally ages over time.
The benefit to the cell owner comes from the contractual equipment-rental fees paid while the cell is being used during the project term. At the Site End Date, the rental arrangement ends and the solar installation is transferred or donated to the organisation identified in the Project Information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when my Sunbucks rental term ends?
Equipment-rental fees for that project stop on the fixed Site End Date. The solar installation is then transferred or donated to the organisation identified in the Project Information.
How long does a Sunbucks solar cell rental term last?
Current Sunbucks projects generally have rental terms of approximately 12 to 18 years, depending on the individual project.
Do I lose rental fees if I buy after the project has started?
Where the Project Information provides for accrued rental fees, no. Your rental allocation can include fees accrued from the project's original Site Start Date.
Does buying later extend the Site End Date?
No. The project retains the same fixed Site End Date.
What happens to my other Sunbucks projects when one project ends?
Nothing changes. Your other active projects continue according to their own individual rental schedules.
What is the minimum Sunbucks purchase?
The minimum purchase is one Sunbuck, which represents one identified solar cell. Prices currently start at just over €2 for some projects and vary by project.
What does 10% IRR mean on the Sunbucks calculator?
IRR is a mathematical way of expressing the scheduled rental-payment stream over the complete project term. It is not interest, a dividend, profit share, investment yield or guaranteed financial return.
The Bottom Line
Every Sunbucks project has a fixed Site Start Date and Site End Date. The rental period begins when the project becomes operational, starts producing solar energy and begins generating commercial income. Current Sunbucks rental terms generally run for around 12 to 18 years.
If a cell is purchased after the project has already started, accrued rental fees may be included from the original Site Start Date, while the Site End Date remains unchanged.
When the Site End Date arrives, equipment-rental fees for that project stop and the solar installation is transferred or donated to the organisation identified in the Project Information. Any other active Sunbucks projects in your account continue independently according to their own rental schedules.
Use the Sunbucks Cell Rental Calculator to see how equipment-rental fees are scheduled over the full project term.