Break on Through to the Other Side: Would Bifacial Panels Become More Popular in a Post-Tariff Solar Industry?

Posted on August 24, 2017January 25, 2023 by William Patterson

Break on Through to the Other Side: Would Bifacial Panels Become More Popular in a Post-Tariff Solar Industry?

2017 | 24 Aug 2017

By William Patterson

Bifacial modules have long played the role of being one of the cooler exhibits at solar conferences, but in our experience to date, have failed to enter the market in a serious way. The panels capture energy on both sides of the module by capturing sunlight on the backside that was reflected off the surface the array is built on. The technology has shown promising data in laboratories, but has yet to justify itself to developers as being worth the extra yield for its high price tag, However, with the prospect of high tariffs on imports that may result from an injury finding in the Section 201 trade case, forced higher prices may have developers looking more closely at the extra yield these can provide. If tariffs are imposed, will it be bifacial modules’ time to shine?

Bifacial Modules Today: It’s Complicated

In controlled environments and in certain orientations, bifacial panels have been shown to increase panel production by as much as 50 percent. In the field, however, the added production has ranged from 5-30 percent, and is highly dependent on system design and site conditions. This variability is just one of many factors that have kept bifacial panels from making a serious dent in market share, which currently is less than 5 percent.

To put it simply, it’s hard to predict the energy the modules will produce. The factors that affect bifacial module energy production can seem endless. In addition to all of the environmental and system design factors that affect standard monofacial modules, things only get more complicated when you generate energy from the backside of the module as well.

We sat down with Kevin Mayer from our engineering team to get his perspective. According to Kevin, “for all of the factors we currently take into account in proving estimated energy production for standard monofacial modules to investors and customers, bifacial modules add even more to consider, and are highly sensitive to factors that have only a small effect on monofacial systems.”

What exactly are these factors? For one, the surface; new white roofs should reflect more than older dark roofs. Other variable may include weather (more snow will help reflect more irradiance), row spacing and module height (various layouts attempt to maximize reflected sunlight being captured), and racking (standard racking structures block some sunlight from hitting the backside of the modules). Together, these variables create several scenarios that make it hard to model accurate energy yield predictions.

Investors are comfortable with standardized and streamlined energy modeling practices for monofacial modules, so there will need be a new education process from engineers to financiers to communicate the risks and benefits of going bifacial while still maintaining the same low cost of capital available for monofacial projects.

To make matters more confusing, there is still no standardized method for rating nameplates of bifacial modules, making them more difficult to price. With much of the research into the technology staying proprietary, the required data is hard to find. These factors have led to bifacials becoming more of a niche product, typically at a higher price than monofacial modules. Yingli Green, Sunpreme and LG have all made efforts in the market, but have never manufactured bifacial modules on a large scale, another limit to the technology. For the high price, it just isn’t worth it yet for the larger market to cede cost for uncertain results. However, this could change with the trade case.

Bifacial Modules and Suniva’s Section 201 Case

Sure, bifacial modules carry a higher price tag than standard monofacial modules. However, if the price floors being requested in the trade petition are enacted on imports at 78 cent/Watt, all imported modules will essentially be sold above their current market value. The question may turn into “how much yield can I get for 78 cents?” Given that the nameplate rating of bifacial modules currently only considers the frontside power of the module, the extra energy production provided by the backside of the module gives bifacial modules a large value advantage in a high price floor world.

Bifacial modules, along with other high-efficiency crystalline-silicone modules that generally carry a high price tag, may face a more level playing field with their previously lower-priced counterparts if tariffs are enacted. The commercial and industrial (C&I) space, in general, has some economic breathing room (utility-scale solar, for instance, has tighter margins competing against the broader electricity market), and being that bifacial modules are largely C&I products, a 201 outcome that imposes tariffs should support momentum for bifacial modules. If upfront capital costs for a project increase or are partially fixed by a price floor, increasing the total energy provided by the project would be an effective way to lower the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). However, manufacturers of bifacial modules would certainly need to scale up to capture more of the market, something that has not yet begun.

“Section 201 tariffs by themselves will not cure bifacial technological and financial challenges,” suggests Joe Song, Director of Engineering at Sol Systems. “If enacted, the tariffs may add motivation and creativity within the industry, and give the industry more credence to take more risks in the name of enabling more projects under challenging economics.”

In any scenario, bifacial modules will continue to fascinate engineering geeks across the industry, including the ones that work for Sol Systems. Regardless of what happens with the trade case, increasing data will only aid the development of this technology as a more common market option.

This is an excerpt from the August 2017 edition of The SOL SOURCE, a monthly electronic newsletter analyzing the latest trends in renewable energy based on our unique position in the solar financing space. To view the full Journal, please subscribe or e-mail pr@solsystems.com.

ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS

Sol Systems, a national solar finance and development firm, delivers sophisticated, customized services for institutional, corporate, and municipal customers. Sol is employee-owned, and has been profitable since inception in 2008. Sol is backed by Sempra Energy, a $25+ billion energy company.

Over the last eight years, Sol Systems has delivered more than 600MW of solar projects for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, universities, churches, and small businesses. Sol now manages over $650 million in solar energy assets for utilities, banks, and Fortune 500 companies.

Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.

Are Cities Being 100% Clear About Their 100% Renewable Goals?

Posted on July 20, 2017January 25, 2023 by William Patterson

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Are Cities Being 100% Clear About Their 100% Renewable Goals?

2017 | 20 Jul 2017

By William Patterson

When the United States pulled itself out of its commitment to the Paris climate accord, corporations, non-profits, towns, and cities reminded everyone that their commitments to cleaner energy still stood. Many towns and cities have even signed on to go 100 percent renewable, including big names like San Francisco and Chicago, as well smaller towns like Moab, Utah. Smaller towns, especially those with municipal utilities like Greensburg, KS, are reaching these goals already. However, how are big cities with bold goals planning on getting there?

The Commodity Route

Although some cities are boasting large renewable achievements, and there’s sure been a lot of cheerleading from the press on these targets, it is unclear how most cities will reach these goals. For example, after the famed “Pittsburgh not Paris” rallying cry from President Trump, Pittsburgh pledged to pursue 100 percent renewable energy by 2035. Though certainly admirable, the state will need to fix its broken SREC market with an ambitious increase to its alternative energy portfolio standard to make any solar viable within Pennsylvania. Unfavorable state policy toward renewables could prevent Pittsburgh from meeting its goal. That is why some cities, such as Milwaukee, create their own programs. Though state level support is largely non-existent in Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Shines program helps push solar initiatives for the city through methods like teaming up with credit unions to offer low interest loans for solar projects.

A recent op-ed by former D.C. energy head Sam Brooks critiques much of the cheerleading. Cities, Brooks says, like Burlington, VT boast a 100 percent renewable portfolio, but much of that comes from them purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to offset the power they are purchasing from the grid. By buying these credits, cities can claim these renewable benefits on their way to claiming 100 percent renewable power, which Brooks reminds us is not actually reducing greenhouse gases produced by the city.

In other words, while buying RECs is often the first, and most simple option for cities, the purchase of RECs does not offer electricity savings or a long-term hedge, and provides little in the way of additionality. So, although purchasing RECs is a way cities can claim “100 percent renewable energy”, those looking to make more of an environmental impact should consider other routes. In fact, 100 percent renewable targets may be achieved through direct investments in solar energy power plants that cities can feel, touch, and directly create.

Solar Offers a More Direct Route

Solar energy’s versatility makes it a wise choice for a city or municipality. Arrays can be utilized on rooftops, open land, or provide shade to cars in a parking lot. However, given challenges of building solar in an urban environment, sourcing clean energy electrons from a solar facility far from the city center in more open or rural areas is also an option.

The Onsite Solution

For municipalities with a lot of land, like a small town in the Midwest, or like our 6MW project in Danville, Virginia, onsite solar is an effective way to fill a renewable portfolio. For denser cities, this solution is not as simple, as land for greenfield development and eligible rooftops may be limited. These real estate constraints create inherent challenges in installing solar in cities. Tall buildings are tough to construct on, grid congestion can lead to interconnection issues, and smaller sized systems can have bad economics. Generally, most investors prefer one-off projects or aggregated portfolios of 1MW or less. This can be challenging in an urban environment with much smaller project sizes where “commercial” solar must be installed 30kW at a time.

However, cities can be creative. For example, Washington, D.C., where Sol Systems is headquartered, has a 50 percent by 2032 renewable portfolio standard, which has led to a robust SREC market. This helps to make projects as small as 100kW in some cases attractive to investors; projects are even more attractive when bundled into a portfolio. In fact, Sol Systems worked with DC’s Department of General Services to construct solar on 34 buildings across the city. By using high efficiency panels on schools, police departments, and hospitals (often offering more available real estate for solar deployment than other city buildings), the portfolio effectively brings over 11MW of renewable energy to the city. That’s enough to reduce peak summer demand by 15 percent.

Onsite solar generates power for a building, and solar customers can either own the installation, or a third-party may provide a financing solution through a power purchase agreement (PPA). PPAs require zero upfront costs and can provide consistent savings to customers from day one.

The Offsite Solution

Though onsite solar may be a solution for cities, real estate constraints and other urban conditions would make it challenging for a 100 percent renewables target to be meet with onsite solar alone. And, from a regulatory standpoint, though many markets offer the ability to do an onsite PPA, many do not (unless the municipality has its own utility). For these markets, offsite solar projects offer the opportunity to conduct virtual PPAs, in which a city could agree to purchase the electrons from a project feeding the grid. This also opens up the options for much larger arrays, as the array can be built on a large open piece of land outside of the city, providing more energy than could likely be provided by an onsite array anywhere inside the limits. Through a remote PPA, a company procures clean electricity through a solar array at an off-site location. Just like an on-site PPA or cash purchase, remote PPAs can provide electricity savings and stability – and a known, specific, “built to suit” system, but without the hassle of installing solar on a municipality’s own facilities. Through this option, a company is choosing to procure solar from a custom-built project sized based to meet their unique electricity needs.

As the buzz for 100 percent renewable goals grows, more questions will likely be asked about how these goals will be reached. For cities looking to reach their goals by purchasing RECs, it might be worth preparing to answer how that affects their greenhouse gas contribution. Onsite and offsite solar offer energy sources that directly contribute to cutting emissions on the way to a 100 percent portfolio. Sol Systems works with companies, cities and municipalities, and offers solutions for both onsite and offsite power. Contact our team at energyservices@solsystems.com to learn more.

This is an excerpt from the July 2017 edition of The SOL SOURCE, a monthly electronic newsletter analyzing the latest trends in renewable energy based on our unique position in the solar financing space. To view the full Journal, please subscribe or e-mail pr@solsystems.com.

ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS

Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.

What We Can Learn from a Southern Virginia Solar Project Roundtable

Posted on June 21, 2017January 25, 2023 by William Patterson

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What We Can Learn from a Southern Virginia Solar Project Roundtable

2017 | 21 Jun 2017

By William Patterson

On a sunny May morning in the heart of Pittsylvania County, Virginia just a few miles away from an upcoming 6MW solar project that will provide the City of Danville 2 percent of its energy, Sol Systems participated in a Clean Energy Jobs Tour with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. The solar roundtable discussion, hosted by Danville Utilities, was attended not only by the Governor, but also local government officials, community members, and Sol Systems’ partner on the project: TurningPoint Energy. The discussion among diverse parties focused on the economic and security benefits of clean energy, and seemed more like a cornerstone for the mountain of similar discussions now starting in small towns across the US.

Although the talk was planned to revolve around the Danville solar project, which to a large extent it did, the discussion often took a step back to the bigger picture. And, here’s why: the benefits that Danville Utilities will see from behind-the-meter project, specifically its ability to offset peak load time, can apply to many municipal utilities across the country.

Jobs Creation

[caption id="attachment_4667" align="alignright" width="300"] Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe speaks about the Danville solar project as part of his Clean Energy Jobs Tour.[/caption]

As with any infrastructure project, a solar energy farm creates jobs. The Danville project, for instance, will require labor to clear land, install the project itself and provide maintenance for the life of the project, among other work. From clearing the land, installing the panels, and other tasks like paving access roads, the Danville project will create local jobs. Jobs in solar also prepare local workers to do renewable projects in the future, which is valuable in a state like VA, whose quick-growing solar market installed 192 of its 241MW of solar capacity in 2016 alone.

“These are the jobs of the 21^st century,” shared Governor McAuliffe at the Clean Energy Jobs Round Table, “Either you get in on this renewable clean energy, or you will forfeit these jobs.”

Virginia currently employs more people in solar than coal.

Attracting Business

Bringing a utility-scale renewable energy project to a community doesn’t just bring in jobs created by the construction and maintenance of the project, but also can attract businesses that have large renewable goals. Sustainability reports for large corporations factor in scope for carbon accounting, and if a company moves into a municipality with their own utility, the type of energy that the company buys from them will be material. If a municipality has a large renewable portfolio, it can be a big draw for companies that will not have to worry about offsetting their carbon through direct means. In a state like Virginia, where 3^rd party financing through PPAs is illegal, unless a company purchases offsite power, they are stuck with the emissions from the power they buy from the utility. Therefore, municipal utilities with more renewable energy in their mix can be very attractive.

“[Data center companies] won’t come unless you give them renewable energy,” said Governor McAullife about meetings he had with Amazon and Apple the previous week on a West Coast trip. The Governor was stern in his tone and wording about this point in particular, repeating once more, “They will not come.”

NPR’s interview with the mayor of Georgetown, Texas, a conservative-leaning town that has reached 100% renewable energy, echoes these sentiments. New and old businesses in the area have been happy promote their town’s 100% clean accomplishment as well.

“It's a great economic development tool,” said Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross in the interview, “because there's a lot of high-quality companies in this country that have robust green energy policies.”

Cheap Energy

What made solar ultimately attractive for the City of Danville was that it offered them behind-the-meter energy for a competitive and stable price while solving their problem with peaking capacity.

“We weren’t thinking we needed to go out and build a solar farm,” said Jason Grey, Director of Utilities for the City of Danville, “but a solar farm fit [our needs] very well.”

[caption id="attachment_4668" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sol Systems Director, Policy & New Markets Sara Rafalson speaks at the Clean Energy Round Table in Danville[/caption]

By taking advantage of the ITC, as well as being able to site the project as behind-the-meter, the project was very economical for the City, which chose solar over natural gas proposals.

These benefits are not exclusive to Danville, Virginia, and the market for municipal utilities to adopt solar is ripe with potential. Sol Systems had previously worked on a 4MW array with the town of Lexington, Nebraska, and is also working with another municipal utility to help the town realize the same benefits. Although state policies can dictate the small variations in how a deal will pencil, many municipal utilities are dealing with the same situation that the City of Danville is, and can employ a similar solution.

"Solar meets our peak profile so well, because our system peaks in the summer between 2-4 o’clock,” said Gray, “and what resource is better at providing energy than a solar resource, and you'll find that will be a similar situation for other resources in Virginia."

As municipalities work with local utilities look to expand their energy portfolios across the country, behind-the-meter benefits of solar, new jobs a solar project creates, and the business it can help attract are just a few drivers for municipalities to do these deals. For municipalities and developers alike looking to procure solar energy, Sol Systems has experience bringing low-cost, highly-effective projects to the finish line. Shoot us an email at finance@solsystems.com if you’d like to learn more.

ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS

Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.

Should We Lose Sleep over the Suniva Filing?

Posted on May 18, 2017January 25, 2023 by William Patterson

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Should We Lose Sleep over the Suniva Filing?

2017 | 18 May 2017

By William Patterson

After declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month, Suniva has shaken up the solar industry by filing a Section 201 petition. This rarely used mechanism from the Trade Act of 1974 gives the President power to provide import relief to help domestic industries. In this case, Suniva is seeking high price floors on imported modules and cells. By requesting a price floor of $0.78/W on Chinese imports of modules and $0.40/W for cells, Suniva’s filing has potential to cripple the US solar industry if the administration acts on it. As threatening as this is to a 260,000-person industry, there are assurances to consider.

A Look at the ITC’s Role (The Other ITC)

Many in the solar industry have expressed fear about the filing, pointing to concerns about the President having full control of the decision. However, it is not quite that simple. The International Trade Commission (ITC) has its first say in the matter, where they must come to a majority decision on whether Suniva’s claims of price dumping by Chinese manufacturers are both valid and causing “serious” injury to US manufacturers. Only in the case that they find the injury caused to be “serious” do they make a recommendation to the President. While he does have full autonomy on how to respond, he may never get the chance.

Currently, the ITC comprises five members, with one vacancy, and it is designed to be occupied by three Democrats and three Republicans to avoid partisanship. Currently, Republicans have the majority at 3-2, though one of their terms is set to expire before the ITC review concludes which could leave the decision split politically. Given the diverse political makeup of the solar industry’s employees (5 of the top 10 solar states voted Republican in 2016), both parties have a large stake in the industry’s employment numbers. However, an evenly split commission could quell fears that the decision would be unfairly political.

A Look at the MAD Implications

Another major constraint to implementing the tariffs is the simple idea of mutually assured destruction (MAD) that could be the result of a trade war. In 2002, a Section 201 request by the steel industry resulted in the Bush administration levying a 30 percent tariff on steel imports. In response, the EU and Japan, who were hurt by the tariffs, threatened retaliatory tariffs on US industries that included Harley Davidson and Florida citrus products. In response, the Section 201 tariffs were lifted and a trade war was avoided, though it left steel in a worse position than before.

The United States can likely expect a similar response from China if they implement tariffs on Chinese imports. For an administration that is looking to bolster American job growth, endangering a 260,000-person industry on the way to a possible trade war that could threaten even more industries should be a frightening prospect.

A Look at the Current Response

In the wake of the filing, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) officially expressed its opposition. Though SEIA’s scope includes U.S. manufacturing, they cite the 9,000 companies and 260,000 jobs that would be put in danger by the price hikes. SEIA is taking the lead in the industry fight against the filing. In his analysis of the situation, former SEIA President Rhone Resch told GTM that the scenario would cause “several gigawatts of potential demand erosion” and could double PPA prices. Given the strength in numbers the rest of the solar industry has, groups opposing the filling will be making a very strong case over the next few months.

The situation is certainly sobering, and the inability to be certain about the outcome will make many uneasy. However, the uphill battle is being fought by the case for tariffs, and the path is full of obstacles.

This is an excerpt from the May 2017 edition of The SOL SOURCE, a monthly electronic newsletter analyzing the latest trends in renewable energy based on our unique position in the solar financing space. To view the full Journal, please subscribe or e-mail pr@solsystems.com.

ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS

Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.

MDV-SEIA Reelects Sara Rafalson to Board

Posted on May 12, 2017January 25, 2023 by William Patterson

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MDV-SEIA Reelects Sara Rafalson to Board

2017 | 12 May 2017

By William Patterson

Sara Rafalson, Director of Policy and New Markets at Sol Systems, was reelected to the MDV-SEIA board, which announced its election results on May 8. Elections took place from April 18-28 to fill 10 positions on the 15-member board.

Rafalson is currently Vice President for MDV-SEIA, a 150+ member organization that represents the interests of the solar industry in Maryland, D.C, Delaware, and Virginia. Entering her second term in the role, Rafalson will continue to focus actively on strengthening renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in Delaware and Maryland, land use, driving solar development in Virginia, and helping D.C. implement its Solar for All program and meet its ambitious 50% RPS. Given Sol Systems’ unique vantage point in the solar industry, Sara is committed to representing all market segments in her policy work and advocacy.

Rafalson’s reelection continues Sol Systems’ long-running representation on the MDV-SEIA board, which started in 2009. Having financed over 70MW of solar in the region, Sol Systems is deeply entrenched in its hometown market.

In addition to her role within MDV-SEIA, Rafalson is the Vice Chair of national SEIA’s Women’s Empowerment Initiative. Sol CEO Yuri Horwitz sits on the board of national SEIA, and Anna Noucas is the Vice President of NY-SEIA.

The full list of candidates elected to the MDV-SEIA board can be found on MDV-SEIA’s website.

ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS

Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.

Cash Purchase vs. PPA in the Commercial Market: Own Your Situation

Posted on April 19, 2017January 25, 2023 by William Patterson

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Cash Purchase vs. PPA in the Commercial Market: Own Your Situation

2017 | 19 Apr 2017

By William Patterson

In 2016, 47 percent of new residential solar customers chose cash deals with their new systems as opposed to signing a power purchase agreement (PPA), in which a third party builds and owns the system and agrees to sell power to the customer at a fixed price. For homeowners, the decision to buy and own your solar energy system is a relatively straight-forward decision guided by relatively simple questions. Do I have enough money? How long will I live in the house? What is the cost of my monthly electricity bill? What does my state’s SREC market look like? (Maybe that last one is not so simple).

For commercial customers, however, these questions are not so simple, and there are many factors that may drive customers to purchase their solar energy system outright rather than pursue a power purchase agreement. If a prospective customer lacks credit-worthiness, or third-party ownership is illegal in their state, PPAs simply are not an option.

In our experience, a customer’s notion that they should own their solar system often is a function of their knowledge, or lack thereof, about the scope of ownership and/or what financing options are available. They figure that if they have the capital, the investment will be better long-term without a third-party. While that is sometimes the case, there are several factors that a prospective commercial solar customer should consider when weighing the decision to pursue a cash deal instead of a PPA.

When Cash Deals Work

Before purchasing a solar energy system, a prospective customer must first consider if they have the capital available upfront; the cost will vary depending on a given state’s solar incentive program, property tax treatment, labor costs, and other factors. A 500kW system in Massachusetts, for instance, will likely price out to a little over $1 million while in Maryland, a system of that size would price out closer to $750,000. A PPA requires no cash upfront from the host customer.

To purchase a project outright, host customers must have the ability to monetize the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), as well as any state tax credits (if applicable). Generating your own electricity to offset your bills will yield some return, but one’s ability to monetize the ITC will be vital to realizing high returns faster. This is why banks and insurance companies with large tax-appetites tend to be some of the industry’s largest tax equity providers, and why tax-exempt entities such as municipalities and schools favor PPAs; they will experience lower electricity costs if another entity is monetizing the tax benefits.

In addition, entities must consider how they will handle depreciation of their investment.

Why You Still Might Want to Consider a PPA

If a prospective customer can monetize the tax credits and has the capital available to purchase a solar energy system, they should then consider the construction and maintenance of the system. With a PPA, customers do not have to worry about the maintenance of the system, as that responsibility falls on the investor. When a customer goes cash, the burden of maintenance and upkeep of the system falls on them. Some customers have found themselves caught up not only with the financial loss with system repairs, but also, a big headache. Customers that have experience owning and managing assets, such as construction companies, are generally better positioned to handle system ownership.

Additionally, PPAs provide customers with a predictable, stable price of electricity for 15 – 25 years.

Consider the Size of Your Solar Energy System

There is one area in which cash deals may certainly be best: for smaller solar energy systems under 500kW in size. Given the fixed nature of transaction costs associated with these relatively smaller project opportunities, third party investors tend not to favor these one-off smaller project opportunities unless they can be grouped into a larger portfolio of at least 1MW or more. In contrast, larger one-off solar energy systems that can reach economies of scale, generally around 1MW or more, will be palatable for investors and customers both.

Due to these complexities and high transaction costs, small commercial has experienced sluggish growth year-over-year. Because sub-500kW projects will compose roughly a fourth of non-commercial installations over the next four years, there are few financing options available. Buying the system is likely the best idea for projects of this size – especially those that can monetize the tax benefits – until the market develops better financing solutions for this market sector. In addition, because costs are based on dollars-per-watt, a smaller system will require less upfront capital.

Make Your Pick

The decision to go cash or sign a PPA is a decision that requires careful consideration. Among other factors, it is critical that prospective customers consider their ability to monetize the investment tax credit, and if the size of their individual project will warrant third party investment.

Prospective commercial solar customers wondering which route to pursue may contact energyservices@solsystems.com or call us at 202-349-2085 to talk through; we’d be happy to help you navigate the decision. Developers in need of financing for commercial projects may contact our team at finance@solsystems.com.

This is an excerpt from the April 2017 edition of The SOL SOURCE, a monthly electronic newsletter analyzing the latest trends in renewable energy based on our unique position in the solar financing space. To view the full Journal, please subscribe or e-mail pr@solsystems.com.

ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS

Over the last eight years, Sol Systems has delivered more than 595MW of solar projects for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, universities, churches, and small businesses. Sol now manages over $650 million in solar energy assets for utilities, banks, and Fortune 500 companies.

Inc. 5000 recognized Sol Systems in its annual list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.

Author: William Patterson