0 ▁years ▁for ▁power ▁generated ▁by ▁those ▁pan els . ▁Sol ar City ' s ▁solar ▁le ase ▁allowed ▁some ▁home own ers ▁to ▁pay ▁less ▁each ▁month ▁than ▁they ▁previously ▁paid ▁for ▁electric ity ▁from ▁the ▁utility ▁company . ▁ ▁The ▁" no - m oney - down ▁solar " ▁business ▁model ▁became ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁in ▁the ▁USA ▁and ▁increased ▁install ations , ▁but ▁it ▁also ▁added ▁to ▁Sol ar City ' s ▁deb t , ▁account ing ▁for ▁about ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁over ▁$ 3 ▁billion ▁deb t ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁( after ▁T es la ▁acquired ▁the ▁company ) ▁its ▁business ▁model ▁shift ed ▁to ▁one ▁where ▁customers ▁buy ▁the ▁solar ▁systems ▁with ▁c ash ▁or ▁via ▁finan cing . ▁T es la , ▁the ▁parent ▁company , ▁decided ▁to ▁change ▁from ▁s elling ▁solar ▁products ▁door - to - door ▁to ▁only ▁being ▁sold ▁in ▁T es la ' s ▁stores ▁and ▁gall eries , ▁which ▁T es la ▁ ▁believed ▁would ▁save ▁on ▁advert ising . ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁El on ▁Mus k ▁announced ▁that ▁T es la ▁would ▁be ▁pulling ▁out ▁of ▁their ▁solar ▁sales ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Home ▁Dep ot ▁four ▁months ▁after ▁national ▁kick off , ▁initially ▁aim ed ▁at ▁growing ▁sales ▁of ▁T es la ' s ▁solar ▁and ▁storage ▁products . ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 9