5% annual return on an investment will take 20 years to break even regardless of the underlying instrument (or ~15 years if compounding). With bonds or equitie

5% annual return on an investment will take 20 years to break even regardless of the underlying instrument (or ~15 years if compounding). With bonds or equities you will either be paid the face value of that bond or still own shares that hopefully continue to appreciate. An “investment” into a solar panel doesn’t make sense to me because while you may profit off the electricity being sold the panel itself will be worthless in the future.