Commercial Energy Opportunity Calculator
Estimate the preliminary value of solar, battery demand management, or both. All defaults are editable assumptions. Use twelve months of utility bills and interval data for a qualified analysis.
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Energy savings apply the entered solar offset to the non-demand portion of the electric bill. Demand savings apply the entered battery demand-reduction percentage to the demand-charge portion. Annual net benefit equals gross modeled savings less annual O&M. Net initial cost equals installed cost less the entered incentive/tax assumption. Future savings reflect escalation and degradation. Simple payback equals net initial cost divided by first-year net benefit. ROI equals cumulative net benefit minus net initial cost, divided by net initial cost, over the selected period. NPV discounts annual modeled net benefits at the entered discount rate. Financing costs, equipment replacement, augmentation and residual value are excluded unless separately modeled. IRR is not displayed because this screening model does not create a sufficiently detailed verified multi-period project cash-flow series.
All calculator outputs are preliminary estimates based on user-entered information and stated assumptions. Actual utility rates, load profiles, equipment performance, incentives, tax treatment, financing, project costs, savings, returns, interconnection requirements and timelines may differ. Results are not a guarantee of savings, financial performance, utility approval, equipment performance or project completion.
From Utility Bill to Operating Asset: The Complete Commercial Journey
1. DISCOVER — Identify ownership goals, facility pain points, critical loads and decision-makers.
2. QUALIFY — Collect 12 months of utility bills, interval data, property details, budget, timeline, financing preference and photos of the meter, switchgear, roof, electrical panels and proposed equipment areas.
3. ANALYZE — Separate energy charges from demand charges; model load shape, tariff exposure, solar production, battery dispatch and outage priorities.
4. COMPARE — Present solar-only, battery-only, solar-plus-storage and no-project baselines with cash and financing scenarios.
5. DECIDE — Review first-year savings, payback, long-term value, degradation, warranties, usable capacity, augmentation or replacement, recycling, decommissioning and end-of-term exposure.
6. VALIDATE — Complete the site walk, structural and electrical review, roof and lease review, engineering feasibility, and utility pre-application checks.
7. DESIGN & CONTRACT — A licensed commercial contractor finalizes engineering, code compliance, price, responsibilities, insurance, schedule and performance assumptions.
8. PERMIT & INTERCONNECT — Submit utility, AHJ, fire-code and incentive documentation; coordinate procurement and long-lead equipment.
9. INSTALL & COMMISSION — Sequence work around facility operations, test controls and shutdown plans, train the facility team and document turnover.
10. OPERATE & REPORT — Monitor production, demand reduction, battery health, alarms, warranty status and actual-versus-modeled results; plan augmentation, replacement and decommissioning before surprises become expenses.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE — A concise owner summary, facility-manager operating brief, assumptions register, savings comparison, solar-versus-battery recommendation, risk list, contractor-ready intake file and clear next action. No equipment is prescribed before the data supports it, and estimates are never presented as guarantees.