13-Steps for Solar Energy For Your Business

1. Determine the application of the solar system
2. Perform an Energy Audit
3. Improve your energy efficiency
4. Assess your solar resource
5. Identify Solar technology
6. Site your system
7. Determine your system size
8. Contact solar installers
9. Net Metering Agreement
10. Apply for solar incentives
11. Research financing options
12. Apply for tax credits
13. Find other applicable tax credits or incentives for your area.
14. Learn more about ways to support solar

Download and share these simple and fast solar fact sheets with your employees, colleagues, family, and friends:

* Solar Basics
* Solar Benefits
* Get Started with Solar Energy
* Frequently Asked Questions about Solar
* How to Find and Select a Solar Installer
* Solar Calculators - cost estimates & payback
* Solar Incentives
* Solar Codes, Ordinances & Net Metering
* Solar Education & Training Courses

1. Determine the application of the solar system
Are you installing on-site solar generation to offset your company’s energy usage or commercial-scale for sale to a utility or a developer? Once you decide this, you will have a better idea of the steps to take.  The following steps pertain to on-site solar.  For more information on utility-scale solar, visit the Solar Electric Power Association, Solar Energy Industries Association, American Solar Energy Society, or the Solar Alliance.

2. Perform an Energy Audit
Before installing on-site solar, consider performing an energy audit of your business to assess your energy usage. Contact your utility to discuss energy audit programs or work with professional energy auditors.  You can estimate how much electricity and/or natural gas you use, on average, over the course of a year by looking at your power bills (contact the utility companies to request a summary of your usage history).  An energy audit will help in selecting the best solar technology for your business.

3. Improve your energy efficiency
To gain the greatest financial benefit from a solar energy system, the building must first be energy efficient. Consider simple ways to improve your energy efficiency to get the most out of your system and minimize your power bills overall. Refer to our For Businesses: How To Energy Efficiency sections for energy efficiency information.

4. Assess your solar resource
You can get a rough estimate of your solar resource using available on-line solar calculators.  Next, you'll want to contact an installer in your area to determine if solar is a viable resource for your business.

5. Identify Solar technology
Determine which technology best suits your company’s energy needs: solar thermal (for hot water/space heating) and/or solar photovoltaic (for electricity). Each technology has different costs and applications. Refer to our Clean Energy 101: Solar section to see which system is best for you.

6. Site your system
Solar systems in Utah should be placed in a southern-facing location away from obstructions or shading. The ideal location will allow the panels to receive maximum solar insulation (sun hours/day).

7. Determine your system size
The size of your solar system depends on how much electricity or hot water or space heat you use, your available solar resource, the size of your facility and surroundings, and how much you are able to invest. Contact a solar installer  to determine your system size.

You can also check out the Department of Energy's Building Energy Tools Directory for energy analysis tools such as PV-DesignPro (photovoltaic design, tracking systems, solar, electrical design), RETScreen (pre-feasibility analysis, heating, renewable energy), PC-Solar 2.0 (passive solar calculations, solar shading, external shading, internal shading, solar incidence).

8. Contact solar installers
Contact a few solar dealers and installers in your area to explore options and get an idea of costs. Below are several websites that provide updated lists of solar installers across the state:

• List of Utah Solar Dealers & Installers
• Find Solar
• ReDirect Guide, Salt Lake City
• Utah Solar Energy Association
• North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Certified Installer Locator
• Verify a License with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing

9. Net Metering Agreement
Contact your local utility to see about the availability of net metering, interconnection (connecting to the grid) and/or rebate programs. If you are planning a large-scale solar development, you will need to go through the necessary interconnection procedures and studies, so be sure to get this process started early, as it can take some time to complete. If you are installing a small solar energy system, the process should be fairly straightforward. In either case, you will need to submit an application early in the project development process. Contact the local utility early on in the development process. For Rocky Mountain Power customers, visit their net metering website for more information.

Other utilities offering net metering (please note, this list is not exhaustive; contact your utility directly to find out if they offer net metering):

• Logan City Light & Power
• City of St. George Energy Services Department
• Washington City

10. Apply for solar incentives

If you are a customer of Rocky Mountain Power, you can apply for a rebate with Rocky Mountain Power’s Solar Incentive Program.

Other utility incentive programs (please note, this list is not exhaustive; contact your utility directly to find out if they offer solar incentives)

• Logan City Light & Power
• City of St. George Energy Services Department
• Washington City

11. Research financing options

utahcleanenergy.org/policies_and_issues/policies_and_issues/current_regulatory_issues#1
The most common financial model for non-residential solar is Third Party Financing via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).  Currently, Utah's Public Service Commission is considering whether or not this financial model should be made available to Utah businesses, governments, and non-profits interested in pursuing solar.  Utah Clean Energy is actively engaged on this regulatory docket and will update this section once progress is made on this front. 

In the meantime, contact your local bank or financial advisor to discuss possible financing options.  

Read about residential and non-residential financing options in The Borrowers Guide to Financing Solar Energy Systems.

12. Apply for tax credits
Familiarize yourself with federal, state, and local credits available to you, and be sure your solar contractor understands the requirements for the installation requirements. Once you have installed your system, you can apply for the state and federal tax credits:

• The State of Utah offers a corporate tax credit for commercial scale solar of 10% installed cost.
• Federal Tax Credit:
  • Business Energy Tax Credit
  • Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit

13. Find other applicable tax credits or incentives for your area.

14. Learn more about ways to support solar

• For a list of important policies to support solar, visit the Solar Alliance
• For model net metering and interconnection policies, visit the Interstate Renewable Energy Council
• Learn About the U.S. Department of Energy Solar America Cities Program
• Learn About Solar Salt Lake - A US DOE Solar America Cities Project
• Learn More about Solar Salt Lake Phase II
• Get involved in Utah Policy and Regulatory issues
• Support Utah Clean Energy's work.