Suddenly, there are solar panels everywhere. They gleam from rooftops on houses, churches and car dealerships like silicon mushrooms that bloomed overnight.

Salesmen in shopping malls hand out fliers on solar like it was a deal on sandwiches at the local sub shop.

It's the result of effective marketing combined with state and federal tax incentives. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this month a total of 314.48 megawatts of solar electric capacity was installed as of December 2014 across the state, enough to provide power to more than 51,000 homes. It's growth of more than 300 percent from 2011 to 2014, twice the rate of solar growth in the country as a whole.

Before you jump on the trend, there are a number of issues you should consider.

The hottest debate is whether to lease or buy.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) estimates the average single-family home needs around a 7-kilowatt solar electric system to provide approximately 70-80 percent of the owner's electricity needs, depending on how efficiently you use electricity. That size system would cost $28,700 to $34,000. After tax rebates and incentives through the NYSERDA-administered NY-Sun Incentive Program available now, a system would cost between $10,000 and $15,000.

The exact cost varies on how much wattage you hope to generate, which in turn reduces how much energy you need from the power grid and lowers the bill you pay to a utility provider every month. On months your system generates more energy than you need, the excess goes into the power grid, which operates as a bank, allowing you to use energy from the grid on days your solar panels don't produce enough energy to meet the needs of your household. "It's like buying a car, but instead of depreciating, it's an investment that pays you back," said Kevin Bailey, the owner of High Peaks Solar in Wynantskill.

John Rinaldo of East Greenbush recently had 32 panels installed on his property by High Peaks Solar. The system was designed to provide 80 percent of the electricity Rinaldo, his wife and son use in their home. Rinaldo said his electricity bill averaged $170 in 2014. He expects it to drop to $35 to $40 per month. Rinaldo said he paid upfront for the system because he felt it was a better deal in the long run. It meant he will receive a 30 percent credit on his federal taxes next year — a tax incentive that goes to the installer in lease situations.

For now, everyone who installs a solar system is eligible for a rebate through NY-Sun and a 25 percent state income tax credit. Eventually, those incentives will end unless renewed by the state government. Cuomo has already put $1 billion into NY-Sun initiative with the goal of having 50 percent of New York's energy produced by renewable sources by 2030.

If you don't have a lot of money to pay upfront and you don't want to take out a loan, there is an option to lease, explained Max Joel, the program manager for NY-Sun. The solar developer owns the system on your home and you make payments. Leases are typically 15 to 20 years. What happens next varies by installer; some offer to have the system removed or to renew the lease. If you sell your house, the lease can be transferred to the new owner. Solar power purchase agreements are another option, which means a solar finance company installs and maintains the system on your property and you sign a long term contract to pay for the energy it generates at rates competitive with local retail electricity rates.

The range of options has driven growth, Joel said. He doesn't have a favorite, but emphasized the importance of doing research. Get multiple quotes and get references, Joel said. Make sure you understand the contract before you sign it, and if your roof needs work, get it done before the solar panels are installed. Joel recommended choosing an installer from NYSERDA's list of certified installers, available at http://ny-sun.ny.gov or by calling 862-1090, Ext. 3433, and checking with your homeowner's insurance to find out how it will affect your coverage. For now, the addition of solar panels is tax-exempt, meaning your property taxes won't go up because you went solar, Joel said.

Joel Gomez-Dossi and his husband signed a lease agreement with Sungevity for the solar panels on the roof of their Schenectady bungalow, installed in the summer of 2011. They chose a lease so the maintenance would remain the responsibility of Sungevity. They still wanted to pay off the cost right away, so they wouldn't have a monthly lease payment.

Where to put your solar panels is another thing to consider. Rinaldo chose ground installation, because he doesn't like the way solar panels look on a roof. The closest section of panels is 40 feet from his home, and he has easy access to the panels to clean them. Dirty solar panels are inefficient. Cleaning can be done with a soft sponge and a squeegee on a long extension pole. Rinaldo had the choice to put his panels on the ground because he had the space and the southern exposure. Gomez-Dossi likes the way their 10 solar panels look on their roof, and had trees removed from their property to make sure they would get as much direct sun as possible. He said the panels have dropped the electricity bill by half, bringing it from $80 a month to $40 or less.

Gomez-Dossi said he chose solar panels less because of the cost savings and more because of the statement it makes. He likes looking at the panels baking in the sun and knowing he's reduced his carbon footprint.

"We pride ourselves on being early adopters," he said.

lhornbeck@timesunion.com • 518-454-5352 • @leighhornbeck