What Information Is Needed for a Commercial Solar Assessment?
A commercial solar assessment requires more than one electricity bill and a photograph of the roof. A credible provider should review the business’s electricity consumption, Maximum Demand, operating schedule, interval load profile, property rights, roof condition, electrical infrastructure, project objectives and financing preferences before recommending a system capacity.
What Is Needed for an Initial Commercial Solar Assessment?
A preliminary assessment helps determine whether the property appears suitable for solar and whether a more detailed site survey is justified. It does not replace a technical design, structural assessment or formal Solar ATAP study.
For an initial assessment, the business should normally prepare:
- Business or organisation name
- Installation address
- Type of business or facility
- Recent electricity bill
- Preferably 12 months of electricity bills
- Current tariff or account category
- Operating days and hours
- Basic production or activity schedule
- Roof photographs
- Approximate roof age
- Property ownership or tenancy status
- Contact person for the project
- Main objective for installing solar
- Preferred purchase or financing approach
Desktop Assessment
Uses bills, maps, photographs and basic operational information to prepare an early indication of suitability and possible capacity.
Site Assessment
Confirms roof, shading, access, electrical connection, structural and operational conditions at the premises.
How Many Electricity Bills Are Needed?
A single bill may be sufficient for a rough initial discussion, but at least 12 consecutive months of bills is generally more useful for a commercial assessment.
Twelve months of data helps the provider identify seasonal demand, production peaks, school holidays, hotel occupancy changes, factory shutdowns and other variations that may not appear in one month.
The bills may provide information such as:
- Electricity-account holder
- Service or installation address
- Tariff or consumer category
- Monthly electricity consumption in kWh
- Maximum Demand in kW
- Billing period
- Meter number
- Supply voltage or account classification
- Power-factor information where applicable
- Demand-related charges
- Other applicable bill components
- Seasonal changes in electricity cost
| Bill Information | Why It Matters | Possible Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly kWh Consumption | Shows the total electricity used during each billing period. | Does not show the exact time when electricity was consumed. |
| Maximum Demand | Helps assess peak demand and the applicable commercial capacity basis. | The monthly figure alone may not show when the peak occurred. |
| Tariff Category | Helps identify the electricity-pricing structure used in the financial assessment. | Future tariffs and regulatory charges may change. |
| Total Bill Amount | Provides context for the current electricity expenditure. | The total may include charges that solar does not reduce directly. |
Why Is Interval Load Data Important?
Interval load data shows how electricity consumption changes throughout the day. Depending on the available meter data, consumption may be recorded in half-hourly or other time intervals.
This information allows the provider to compare the business’s actual electricity demand with expected solar generation.
- Daytime peak demand
- Daytime lowest demand
- Morning startup demand
- Lunch-hour load reduction
- Evening and night demand
- Weekend consumption
- Public-holiday consumption
- Production-shift changes
- Seasonal demand patterns
- Temporary shutdown periods
- Potential surplus solar periods
- Potential battery-charging opportunities
What Maximum Demand Information Is Needed?
Maximum Demand is the highest level of electrical demand recorded during the applicable measurement period. It is relevant to many commercial and industrial consumers and may form part of the Solar ATAP capacity assessment.
The provider may request:
- Monthly Maximum Demand for the past 12 months
- Average recorded Maximum Demand
- Declared Maximum Demand for a newer account
- Time when the demand peak normally occurs
- Daytime peak demand between solar-generating hours
- Daytime lowest demand
- Large motor or machinery startup patterns
- Existing demand-management measures
- Planned changes to connected equipment
- Future production-capacity expansion
| Demand Information | Assessment Use |
|---|---|
| Recorded Maximum Demand | Helps establish the business’s historical peak electrical demand. |
| Daytime Peak Demand | Helps estimate how much solar output may be consumed when generation is strong. |
| Daytime Lowest Demand | Helps estimate the risk of surplus generation during low-load periods. |
| Future Demand | Helps account for planned machinery, EV charging, expansion or electrification. |
What Property and Ownership Information Is Needed?
The assessment needs to establish who owns the premises, who holds the electricity account and who has authority to approve the installation.
- Registered property owner
- Electricity-account holder
- Business operating entity
- Installation address
- Land title or property reference where required
- Lease or tenancy status
- Remaining tenancy period
- Written landlord approval
- Management-corporation approval where applicable
- Governing-body or board approval
- Roof-use rights
- Right to access and maintain the system
- Restrictions affecting structural modifications
- Future sale, relocation or redevelopment plans
Owner-Occupied Property
The business may have greater control over roof access, long-term investment decisions and future maintenance.
Rented Property
The project normally requires owner approval and careful alignment between the lease term, solar contract and equipment ownership.
What Roof and Site Information Is Needed?
Roof information helps estimate the available installation area and identify structural, safety, shading and maintenance constraints.
Useful initial information includes:
- Recent roof photographs
- Aerial or drone photographs where safely available
- Roof drawings or building plans
- Approximate roof dimensions
- Roof material and profile
- Roof age
- Remaining expected roof life
- Known leakage history
- Corrosion or deterioration
- Previous roof repairs
- Structural drawings where available
- Existing structural assessment reports
- Skylights and fragile roof areas
- Air-conditioning or ventilation equipment
- Smoke vents and exhaust systems
- Drainage paths and gutters
- Fire and emergency access routes
- Maintenance walkways
- Nearby buildings or trees causing shading
- Safe lifting and installation access
What Electrical Information Is Needed?
The provider needs to understand how the premises receives and distributes electricity before identifying the solar connection point and inverter arrangement.
- Supply voltage
- Low-voltage or medium-voltage connection
- Point of common coupling
- Main switchboard rating
- Transformer capacity
- Existing transformer loading
- Current-transformer or metering arrangement
- Meter location
- Electrical single-line diagram
- Main incoming protection
- Available circuit-breaker capacity
- Earthing arrangement
- Lightning and surge protection
- Existing generator system
- Existing UPS system
- Existing solar installation
- Existing battery system
- Available inverter location
- Cable-route options
- Known power-quality issues
| Electrical Information | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Supply Voltage | Helps determine the applicable technical-study and connection requirements. |
| Single-Line Diagram | Shows how the main electrical system and distribution boards are arranged. |
| Transformer Capacity | Helps assess connection limitations and existing equipment loading. |
| Generator and UPS Systems | Helps ensure solar does not interfere with backup or critical electrical arrangements. |
What Business and Operational Information Is Needed?
A solar system is expected to operate for many years. The assessment should therefore consider planned changes to the business rather than using only current electricity consumption.
- Normal operating days
- Daily operating hours
- Production shifts
- Weekend operations
- Public-holiday operations
- Annual shutdown periods
- School holidays or semester breaks
- Hotel occupancy patterns
- Seasonal production changes
- Future machinery installation
- Planned production expansion
- Planned facility closure or relocation
- Energy-efficiency upgrades
- Replacement of old equipment
- Future EV charging
- Planned battery storage
- New buildings or roof extensions
- Expected changes in tenancy or ownership
Future Load Increase
New machinery, EV charging, electrification or building expansion may increase future daytime demand.
Future Load Reduction
Energy-efficiency projects, production reductions or relocation may reduce the amount of solar electricity used directly.
What Financial and Project Objectives Should Be Provided?
The same property may support several possible system sizes and commercial models. The business should explain what it expects the project to achieve.
- Primary objective of the solar project
- Target reduction in daytime grid purchases
- Preference for self-consumption or larger capacity
- Available capital budget
- Preferred payback period
- Required internal rate of return
- Direct-purchase preference
- Financing preference
- Solar lease preference
- Power purchase agreement preference
- Maximum acceptable contract duration
- Acceptable tariff escalation
- Ownership preference at contract end
- Need for battery backup
- Need for future battery readiness
- Sustainability or reporting objectives
- Required project-completion date
- Acceptable operational shutdown period
| Project Objective | Possible Assessment Focus |
|---|---|
| Reduce Daytime Grid Purchases | Prioritise a system closely matched to the facility’s daytime electricity demand. |
| Use More Available Roof Space | Compare a larger system with expected surplus, approval and financial implications. |
| Avoid Upfront Capital | Compare financing, leasing or power-purchase structures and their total long-term cost. |
| Add Backup Capability | Assess critical loads, battery capacity, inverter output and isolation requirements separately. |
Complete Commercial Solar Assessment Checklist
The exact requirements depend on the facility and project capacity, but the following checklist can help businesses prepare for an assessment.
- Business name and registration details
- Project contact person
- Installation address
- Type of business or facility
- Electricity-account holder
- At least 12 months of electricity bills
- Monthly kWh consumption
- Monthly Maximum Demand records
- Interval or half-hourly load data
- Current tariff category
- Operating days and hours
- Production or activity schedule
- Weekend and holiday usage
- Annual shutdown periods
- Future expansion plans
- Property ownership documents
- Lease or tenancy details
- Landlord or governing-body approval
- Roof photographs
- Roof drawings or dimensions
- Roof age and material
- Known leaks or corrosion
- Structural drawings
- Previous structural reports
- Fire and maintenance access
- Electrical single-line diagram
- Supply voltage
- Main switchboard rating
- Transformer information
- Meter and connection-point details
- Generator and UPS information
- Existing solar or battery information
- Project budget
- Preferred financing model
- Solar self-consumption objective
- Backup or battery requirement
- Required completion timeline
- Operational shutdown restrictions
What Should a Business Ask the Solar Provider?
- How many months of electricity data will you analyse?
- Do you require interval or half-hourly load data?
- How will Maximum Demand affect the proposed capacity?
- How will you calculate daytime self-consumption?
- How will weekend and holiday usage be considered?
- Will you inspect the roof before issuing a final proposal?
- Is a structural assessment included?
- Which electrical drawings are required?
- Will a technical study be required?
- Who prepares the Solar ATAP application?
- Which documents must be provided by the business?
- What information is still based on assumptions?
- Will several system capacities be compared?
- How will future expansion be included?
- Which costs are excluded from the assessment?
- Is the initial assessment free or chargeable?
- Who owns the assessment and design documents?
- How long is the quotation valid?
- What information may change after the site survey?
- What must be confirmed before signing the contract?
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is needed for a commercial solar assessment?
The assessment normally needs electricity bills, Maximum Demand, operating hours, load data, property and roof information, electrical infrastructure details, future business plans and project objectives.
How many electricity bills should a business provide?
One recent bill may support an initial discussion, but at least 12 consecutive months of bills is generally more useful for identifying seasonal demand and preparing a stronger assessment.
Is a roof photograph enough for a solar quotation?
It may support a preliminary estimate, but a final design normally requires a site survey and may require structural assessment, roof measurements and access checks.
Why does the provider need interval load data?
Interval data shows when electricity is consumed, allowing the provider to compare the facility’s demand with expected solar generation and estimate self-consumption more accurately.
Why is Maximum Demand needed?
Maximum Demand helps show the facility’s peak electrical demand and is relevant to the capacity and technical assessment of many commercial solar projects.
Can a tenant request a commercial solar assessment?
Yes, but the project will normally require property-owner approval and confirmation of roof rights, lease duration, electricity-account ownership and equipment ownership.
Is a structural assessment always required?
The requirement depends on the property, roof, proposed system and appointed professionals. A provider should not assume structural suitability from photographs alone.
Is one system-size proposal sufficient?
A business may benefit from comparing several capacities, including a conservative self-consumption option and a larger option with its surplus, approval and financial implications.
Does an assessment guarantee Solar ATAP approval?
No. Approval remains subject to the applicable application, technical assessment, connection, documentation and regulatory requirements.
Does Solar100 perform the final engineering assessment?
No. Solar100 supports provider discovery and quotation comparison. The selected provider and appointed professionals remain responsible for site assessment, engineering, applications, studies and final design.
Prepare Your Business for a Commercial Solar Assessment
Send your recent electricity bills, business location, operating hours, Maximum Demand information and roof photographs to begin comparing commercial solar proposals from participating providers that may serve your area.
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