How It Works
Every commercial system and installation is different. Your commercial system’s size will depend on the amount of roof, canopy, or land you can use for panels, your electricity requirements, and your financial objectives. Because of the variations in designing and installing systems, there will be several components that can be used. For instance, a pitched roof requires different equipment than a ballasted installation on a flat roof. Carport and ground installations require additional structures and cabling to connect to the meter.
The components required for a commercial solar system include the panels, an inverter power station, and individual systems for cable management, mechanical mounting, and energy monitoring. The cost of the system will depend on the selection of the manufacturer, type, and quality of all components. District Energy will keep your goals in mind and consult you to give you recommendations for the best combinations.
We will help you identify the best location for panels—solar can be installed on your roof, over your parking lots, or on vacant land.
Explanation of Net Energy Metering/Demand Charges
- Bucket 1: A fixed monthly fee, the amount of which depends on the rate tariff you are on. This fee remains even after you go solar.
- Bucket 2: Time of use charges. Commercial customers are charged based on the time of year and day that a given kWh is consumed. Rates are higher in the summer than in the winter and higher in the afternoons and evenings than in the middle of the night.
- Bucket 3: Demand charges. The utility actually tracks usage in 15-minute increments, and the demand charge is based on the highest peak in a given month or quarter. The demand charge is often half of a commercial customer’s bill and sometimes even more!
When a business adds solar, it enters into a “Net Energy Meter” agreement with the utility company. This agreement states that the utility will credit the customer at the same rate it would charge for a given kWh. For the sake of explanation, let’s assume that a business is open 5 days a week, Monday through Friday. The solar system generates power on weekends when there is little need for electricity. The power goes back into the grid, and the customer is credited. On Monday morning, staff shows up to work and turns everything on; the credit that was created over the weekend is used up before, and new electricity charges are billed. The balance between kWh used and created remains constant hour by hour, day by day, and month by month.
