Solar company tries new way to make sun affordable

With a solar power system costing $20,000 and up to get installed on your home, it's no wonder that cost is often cited as the main reason homeowners balk at getting solar power.

But now solar companies are getting creative, offering leasing plans or group rates for neighborhoods that buy in bulk.

A San Francisco company has come up with a solution that should put homeowner complaints about high upfront costs to rest. For about $1,000 down, SunRun will put solar panels on a customer's house and then sell the homeowner electricity generated by the panels just like a utility would.