PPA payments are based on an agreed-upon rate for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity produced by the system. Some PPAs feature fixed rates, while others feature “escalating” rates that increase by 1-3% each year. . NLR analyzes the total costs associated with installing photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, and utility-scale ground-mount systems. NLR's PV cost benchmarking work uses a bottom-up. . Each year, the U. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) and its national laboratory partners analyze cost data for U. These benchmarks help measure progress toward goals for reducing solar electricity costs. . What is a solar power purchase agreement? A solar power purchase agreement (PPA) is a financial agreement where a developer arranges for the design, permitting, financing and installation of a solar energy system on a customer's property at little to no cost.