Solar Planning Resources
Objective Tools and Knowledge Bases
Access our online checklists and guides to prepare for conversations with solar providers and understand installation steps.
Solar Consultation Preparation Checklist
Learn how to organize your historical PG&E electric statements, identify roof ages, check historical property maps, and locate structural drawings before meeting with solar consultants.
Steps:
- Find 12 months PG&E billing statements
- Check roof material type and age
- Document current breaker box panel rating
Solar Proposal Comparison Checklist
A step-by-step checklist to align different bids side-by-side. Verify proposed hardware degradation rates, system capacity margins, and layout details.
Steps:
- Match system capacity totals (kW DC)
- Compare inverter technologies (Micro vs String)
- Confirm all warranty terms and lengths
Questions to Ask Before Signing
Avoid common pitfalls by asking solar sales representatives specific technical questions regarding roof updates, system removals, and billing assumptions.
Key Questions:
- What is the fee to remove panels for roof repairs?
- Who handles the municipal permit processes?
- Is structural reinforcement included in this quote?
Residential Solar Planning Guide
An educational overview guiding homeowners through sizing, NEM 3.0 billing rules, roof orientation considerations, and battery choices.
Highlights:
- NEM 3.0 solar exports explained
- Sizing for future electric vehicle charging
- Inverter configurations for partial shading
Commercial Solar Planning Guide
A detailed resource for facility managers addressing commercial rate schedules, demand peak mitigation, solar canopy structures, and business disruptions.
Highlights:
- Managing peak demand charges
- Structure weights on flat roofing
- Contractor coordination timelines
Battery Storage Discussion Guide
Understand capacity terms, backup wiring limits, time-of-use discharge rules, and location fire code rules before buying batteries.
Highlights:
- Continuous vs Peak power outputs
- Critical load panels vs whole-house back
- Self-Generation Incentive Program overview
Solar Terminology Glossary
A guide to common technical and financial acronyms in solar proposals.
A Kilowatt (kW) is a measure of power capacity (the system size). A Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a measure of actual electricity energy generated or consumed over time. For example, a 6 kW system operating at full power for 2 hours generates 12 kWh of electricity.
The utility billing framework that governs how solar energy sent to the utility grid is credited. Under California's NEM 3.0 (Net Billing Tariff), credit rates for exported energy are lower, making battery storage integration an important variable for optimization.
A financing contract where a third-party developer installs and owns the solar panels on your property. You do not own the equipment; instead, you purchase the electricity generated by the system at a set per-kWh rate.
The device that converts Direct Current (DC) electricity produced by solar panels into Alternating Current (AC) used in buildings. String inverters connect panels in a series circuit; microinverters convert DC to AC at each individual panel, optimizing systems subject to shading.