Solar as a Financial Investment: From A to Z
Whether paying cash or giving up credit flexibility, going solar is a big investment for most people. A confident decision requires a good understanding of the investment's likely financial return and risks. This presentation, originally presented at NABCEP's CE conference in March 2017, should put you in a stronger position to model and communicate the solar financial investment. We hope it helps you establish trust and boost prospect purchasing confidence.
Electric Bills 101
Electric bills can get really complicated. Electricity pricing can be different based on when it's used and how much electricity was already used that month. For some utility customers, 15 minutes of high usage could double or even triple that month's electric bill. In this quirky and fun OnGrid video, former utility rate analysts Fred and Thomas bring clarity to this confusing subject. They then show how on-site solar electricity interacts with complicated electricity pricing and actually saves people money.
Andy Black's Paper on Solar Financials
In the early 2000s, OnGrid founder Andy Black pioneered the idea that going solar can be a compelling decision on financial grounds alone. He established standard assumptions behind a responsible financial analysis, and shared the key financial metrics he used to help homeowners and business owners understand the investment opportunity. Here's Andy's classic paper on the subject. Note that the paper was last updated in 2009 — fortunately the concepts explained are timeless.