What is an operating lease?
An operating lease is a simple financial solution that lets you use a solar PV plant — or other energy efficiency solutions — without buying it.
Noon installs and manages the plant. You pay a monthly fee calculated on the savings on your energy bill.
It's not a…
loan
mortgage
finance lease
It’s a complete service that includes
installation, maintenance, insurance and
support — all in one fixed
monthly fee.
You don't pay for the plant
Noon buys it and installs it for you
You only pay the fee
A fixed monthly amount, no surprises
All inclusive
Maintenance, support and insurance
At the end of the contract, the choice is yours
Buy it out, renew or return it
How does it work?
Four simple steps to energy savings, for your business or home.
Energy audit
We assess your
energy consumption and
design the ideal
solution for your home
or business, with no obligation.
Installation
Noon installs
the complete plant,
with all materials and
labour included,
at no upfront cost to you.
Immediate savings
Your energy bill
drops straight away thanks to
the energy produced
by your solar
PV plant.
Monthly fee
You only pay a
fixed monthly fee,
already calculated on the
expected savings.
No surprises
on your bill
Who can apply?
Businesses
- SMEs and large companies
- Companies with significant energy consumption
- Those who want to preserve cash and credit lines
- Those looking for immediate tax benefits
For businesses, the tax benefits are even more significant: fees are 100% deductible.
You can take out an operating lease for all our energy solutions
With Noon you can lease an entire ecosystem of energy efficiency solutions.
One contract, one point of contact, one fee. All inclusive.
Solar PV turns sunlight into clean, free electricity. The plant is sized on your actual consumption to maximise self-consumption and minimise your bills.
Suitable for flat and pitched roofs, industrial buildings and agricultural structures.
Solar thermal panels capture the sun’s heat to produce domestic hot water and, in more advanced versions, also support space heating.
Combined with solar PV, it covers up to 80% of annual heating needs, significantly cutting gas and heating oil costs.
Solar PV produces energy when the sun shines, but home and business consumption often peaks in the evening or at night. Storage batteries solve this by storing the energy produced during the day and releasing it when needed.
Combined with solar PV, they raise self-consumption to 80-90%, reducing dependence on the grid and protecting you from price peaks.
But also cogeneration, LED lighting, air conditioning and other integrated solutions.
Our solutions can be combined in a single operating lease contract. One point of contact, one monthly fee, a project tailored to your energy needs. Our team of engineers designs the optimal mix to maximise your savings.
A real tax advantage
An operating lease is not just a way to avoid the upfront investment: it is a complete model that optimises energy management from every angle — financial, tax, operational and strategic. That’s why private clients, SMEs and large companies choose it every year as a winning alternative to buying outright.
- Operating lease fees are fully deductible from business income as operating costs, without appearing among company assets and without affecting creditworthiness
- As well as the use of the asset, the operating lease includes routine maintenance, technical support and All Risk insurance.
- At the end of the contract, the lessee can buy the asset at a predetermined nominal value equal to 1% of the original price.
With an operating lease, the fee is classed as an operating cost (OPEX) and is fully deductible in the year it is incurred, generating an immediate tax saving proportional to the company’s income tax rate (IRES/IRPEF in Italy). For a company with a 24% IRES rate, every €1,000 in fees generates €240 in real tax savings in the current year.
Is an operating lease better than buying outright?
Is an operating lease better than buying outright?
Buying outright
- High upfront investment
- Capital tied up
- Multi-year depreciation
- Maintenance at your expense
- Technology risk / obsolescence
- Immediate ownership of the plant
Operating lease
- Zero upfront investment
- Preserves company cash
- 100% deductible fee
- Maintenance, support and insurance included
- Always up-to-date technology
- 1% buyout at end of contract
FOR BUSINESSES
Operating lease vs Finance lease
Finance leases and operating leases share only the periodic payment structure; the structural differences are substantial.
A finance lease is essentially a loan: the asset appears on the balance sheet, creates financial debt and is depreciated as a fixed asset.
An operating lease, on the other hand, is a service: nothing on the balance sheet, no impact on credit lines, and the fee is fully deductible.
| Operating lease | Finance lease | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance sheet | ✘ off balance sheet | on balance sheet |
| Type of cost | OPEX (deductible) | CAPEX (depreciation) |
| Maintenance included | ✔ | ✘ |
| Insurance included | ✔ | ✘ |
| Final buyout | 1% of value | Contractual residual value |
| Obsolescence risk | ✘ borne by us | ✔ borne by the client |
| Impact on credit lines | ✘ None | ✔ Reduces creditworthiness |
Whether it’s a solar PV plant, solar thermal, heat pumps or storage batteries, it all starts with a careful analysis of your energy consumption. Ask us for a consultation to calculate the ideal savings for your business or home.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got a question? We’ve probably already answered it
How long does the lease contract last?
Operating lease contracts typically last between 5 and 10 years, and the term can be tailored to your needs. At the end you can choose to buy out, renew or return the plant.
Can I install if I'm renting?
Generally speaking, no: installing a rooftop solar PV plant requires the property owner’s consent. If you are renting, you can still talk to the owner to explore shared solutions. For condominiums, installations on common areas can be considered with the approval of the residents’ meeting.
What happens if the plant breaks down?
With Noon’s Operating Lease, routine and extraordinary maintenance are included in the fee, as is All Risk insurance. If anything breaks down, our technical team steps in quickly at no extra cost to you.
Can the fee change over time?
The fee is fixed for the entire term of the contract. There are no surprises or automatic inflation adjustments not provided for in the contract. You will always know your future costs and can plan your budget accordingly.
Can I combine solar PV with a storage system (batteries)?
Absolutely! Noon can include storage systems (batteries) in the lease, letting you store the energy produced during the day for use in the evening or during periods of low production, further maximising your savings.
How is the fee calculated?
The fee is calculated on several factors: plant size and capacity, geographical area (solar irradiation), historical consumption, roof type and contract term. Our goal is for the monthly fee to be lower than the savings the plant generates on your bill, so you are in the black from the very first month.