When people who want to financially benefit from solar fail to do so in a significant way, it is usually because they buy a system that is not really big enough to even meet their existing needs, or they don't do the best job of selecting the system components.
Signing up with the wrong power company can also be a factor, but that can be corrected in the majority of cases. Replacing your hardware is much less simple in comparison, so it's best to get it correct from the start.
The best solar panel deals can vary widely between different power companies, but it's important to understand that the competitiveness can change over time. The rate is determined in part by company policy and in part by supply and demand.
You may find some providers are more generous with their offers during the winter months when supply is low and demand can be high. During summer, demand is high and supply is also comparatively high. Individual companies may also offer high buy back rates to attract customers and then switch to lower rates later on.