What Should a Commercial Solar Proposal Include?
A commercial solar proposal should clearly explain what system is being offered, why that system size was selected, how much electricity it may generate, what work is included, what risks remain and which party is responsible for each stage of the project.
Why Is a Detailed Commercial Solar Proposal Important?
A commercial solar proposal is more than a price quotation. It should allow the customer to understand the technical design, expected energy outcome, commercial structure and responsibilities attached to the project.
Technical Clarity
The proposal should identify the system capacity, equipment, connection method and installation scope.
Financial Transparency
The price, assumptions, payment terms and projected benefits should be stated clearly.
Responsibility Allocation
The customer should be able to see who handles approvals, structural work, electrical work, maintenance and warranties.
Proposal Comparison
Standardised information helps businesses compare providers beyond the headline project price.
What Should the Project and Executive Summary Include?
The first section should summarise the proposed project in a format that management, finance and technical teams can understand quickly.
- Customer and project location
- Property or facility type
- Proposed system capacity in kWp or MWp
- Estimated annual generation in kWh
- Estimated self-consumption rate
- Estimated export or curtailment
- Proposed ownership or financing model
- Total project price or energy rate
- Indicative project timeline
- Key assumptions
- Main inclusions
- Main exclusions
What System Capacity and Sizing Information Should Be Shown?
The proposal should explain both the recommended size and the basis used to select it.
Electricity Review
Identify the bills, consumption data and maximum-demand information reviewed.
Load Analysis
Explain the assumed weekday, weekend and operating-hour electricity demand.
Roof Capacity
Show the usable roof area after access, safety and obstruction allowances.
Generation Model
State the expected output and the assumptions used in the simulation.
Energy Balance
Estimate direct use, export, battery charging or curtailment.
Alternative Options
Where useful, compare smaller, balanced and roof-maximising system sizes.
The proposal should state:
- DC panel capacity in kWp
- AC inverter capacity in kW
- DC-to-AC sizing ratio
- Number of solar panels
- Rated wattage per panel
- Number and capacity of inverters
- Usable roof area
- Estimated percentage of roof used
- Alternative system sizes considered
- Reason the selected size was recommended
Which Equipment Specifications Should Be Included?
Equipment descriptions should be specific enough to identify what will actually be supplied.
| Equipment | Information to Request | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels | Manufacturer, model, wattage, technology, efficiency, dimensions and product documentation. | Confirms the exact module and helps verify layout and warranty claims. |
| Inverters | Manufacturer, model, quantity, capacity, efficiency and operating range. | Affects conversion performance, system architecture, monitoring and replacement planning. |
| Mounting System | Material, fixing method, roof compatibility and corrosion protection. | Determines how the system connects to the roof and manages environmental exposure. |
| DC and AC Components | Cable type, protection devices, isolators, combiner equipment and distribution components. | Confirms the electrical scope beyond the main panels and inverters. |
| Monitoring System | Portal, communication method, user access, alerts and data retention. | Helps the customer monitor output, faults and long-term performance. |
What Should the Roof Layout and Mounting Design Show?
The proposal should include a preliminary roof layout that reflects the actual building rather than only showing a generic panel arrangement.
- Panel locations
- Panel orientation
- Panel tilt, where applicable
- Roof boundaries
- Roof-edge setbacks
- Fire-access routes
- Maintenance pathways
- Skylights and smoke vents
- Air-conditioning equipment
- Water tanks and exhaust systems
- Shaded areas
- Inverter locations
- DC and AC cable routes
- Access points
- Future equipment zones
The mounting description should also explain whether the system uses clamps, roof penetrations, anchors, ballast or another attachment method.
What Structural Assessment Scope Should Be Included?
The proposal should clarify whether structural assessment is included, excluded or subject to a separate appointment.
The structural section may cover:
- Review of available structural drawings
- Roof material and condition
- Roof-sheet thickness
- Purlin or truss condition
- Existing corrosion or defects
- Available load capacity
- Solar equipment dead load
- Wind-uplift forces
- Mounting attachment loads
- Existing rooftop equipment
- Required reinforcement
- Limitations of visual inspection
- Professional endorsement, where applicable
- Responsibility for remedial work
What Electrical Connection Scope Should Be Included?
Commercial solar proposals should identify how the system will connect to the building’s electrical infrastructure.
- Proposed point of connection
- Main switchboard condition
- Transformer capacity, where applicable
- Single-line diagram
- Protection coordination
- AC and DC isolators
- Earthing arrangements
- Surge protection
- Lightning-protection interface
- Metering arrangement
- Monitoring communication
- AC cable route
- DC cable route
- Shutdown requirements
- Switchboard modification scope
- Testing and commissioning
What Generation and Energy-Balance Estimates Should Be Shown?
The proposal should show more than one annual generation number. It should explain how that number was produced and how the electricity is expected to be used.
- Estimated first-year generation in kWh
- Estimated monthly generation
- Solar resource assumptions
- Panel direction and tilt
- Shading assumptions
- Temperature losses
- Inverter losses
- Cable losses
- Soiling assumptions
- System-availability assumptions
- Long-term degradation
- Estimated direct self-consumption
- Estimated export volume
- Estimated curtailment
- Estimated battery charging, if applicable
| Energy Item | What It Means | Why It Should Be Separated |
|---|---|---|
| Total Solar Generation | All electricity expected to be produced by the system. | It is the starting point for the project energy model. |
| Direct Self-Consumption | Solar electricity used immediately by the business. | Often has a different commercial value from exported energy. |
| Exported Electricity | Electricity sent beyond the customer’s immediate load. | Its treatment depends on the applicable project arrangement. |
| Curtailed Electricity | Potential output intentionally limited or not used. | It may reduce the effective value of an oversized system. |
| Battery Charging | Solar electricity transferred into an energy-storage system. | Storage introduces additional efficiency, capacity and cost assumptions. |
What Pricing and Financial Information Should Be Included?
The financial section should show how much the customer will pay, what is included and which assumptions are used for any projected savings or returns.
The proposal may also show:
- Estimated first-year electricity savings
- Tariff assumptions
- Electricity-price escalation assumptions
- Self-consumption assumptions
- Export-value assumptions
- Maintenance-cost assumptions
- Insurance-cost assumptions
- Equipment-replacement assumptions
- System-degradation assumptions
- Financing cost
- Indicative payback period
- Indicative return metrics
Which Warranties, Monitoring and Maintenance Details Should Be Included?
The proposal should separate product warranties, performance warranties, workmanship warranties and service obligations.
| Coverage | Details to Request | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
| Panel Product Warranty | Coverage period, defects covered and claim process. | Usually the manufacturer, subject to warranty terms. |
| Panel Performance Warranty | Long-term rated-output schedule and exclusions. | Usually the manufacturer. |
| Inverter Warranty | Standard period, extension options and replacement process. | Manufacturer, supplier or service partner. |
| Mounting-System Warranty | Material, corrosion and workmanship coverage. | Manufacturer or installer, depending on scope. |
| Installation Warranty | Workmanship period, defect correction and response process. | Installer or project contractor. |
| Operation and Maintenance | Inspection, cleaning, monitoring, reporting and response times. | Provider or appointed O&M contractor. |
The maintenance section should clarify:
- Monitoring responsibility
- Fault-alert process
- Response times
- Preventive inspection frequency
- Panel-cleaning scope
- Thermal or electrical checks
- Reporting frequency
- Spare-parts responsibility
- Labour charges after warranty
- Travel or access charges
- Warranty-claim assistance
- System-performance review
What Approvals and Project Timeline Should Be Included?
The proposal should show the major project stages and identify which dates depend on customer information, approvals, equipment availability or third parties.
- Site survey
- Detailed engineering
- Structural assessment
- Customer design approval
- Authority or utility submissions
- Equipment procurement
- Roof-preparation work
- Installation period
- Planned shutdown dates
- Testing and commissioning
- Metering or connection activities
- Monitoring-system activation
- Handover documentation
- Training
- Warranty commencement
Which Exclusions, Risks and Contract Terms Should Be Reviewed?
Exclusions may materially affect the final project cost and should be stated prominently rather than hidden in general terms.
Common items to check include:
- Roof repairs
- Structural reinforcement
- Asbestos or hazardous-material handling
- Switchboard replacement
- Transformer upgrades
- Lightning-protection upgrades
- Internet or communication charges
- Authority or submission fees
- Insurance premiums
- After-hours work
- Access equipment
- Production-shutdown costs
- Removal of existing rooftop equipment
- Future relocation or reinstallation
- Tax or accounting treatment
The contract should also address:
- Change-order process
- Price validity
- Payment milestones
- Delay responsibilities
- Damage and insurance responsibilities
- Site-access obligations
- Ownership transfer
- Termination rights
- Dispute process
- Confidentiality
- Performance exclusions
- End-of-term obligations
What Is the Difference Between Solar100 and a Solar Provider?
| Solar100 | Solar Provider or Installer |
|---|---|
| Provides general proposal-comparison guidance | Prepares the project-specific technical and commercial proposal |
| Helps users identify important quotation items | Assesses the actual roof, electrical system and customer load |
| Supports comparison of participating providers | Selects equipment and calculates proposed system capacity |
| Highlights assumptions, exclusions and responsibilities | Defines contractual inclusions, exclusions and project terms |
| Does not issue engineering designs or technical quotations | Provides project-specific designs and contractual documents |
| Does not guarantee project output, savings or installation | Provides projections, warranties and services according to scope |
What Should a Business Prepare Before Requesting a Proposal?
- Business and property location
- Recent electricity bills
- At least 12 months of consumption data
- Maximum-demand information
- Interval load data, if available
- Operating days and hours
- Production or tenancy schedules
- Major equipment list
- Future electrical-load plans
- Roof type and age
- Roof dimensions or drawings
- Structural drawings, if available
- Roof photos
- Known leaks, corrosion or defects
- Main electrical single-line diagram
- Property ownership or tenancy status
- Preferred purchase or financing model
- Target project timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a commercial solar proposal include exact equipment models?
Yes. It should identify the proposed panel, inverter, mounting and major electrical equipment clearly enough for the customer to verify specifications and warranties.
Should the proposal show estimated self-consumption?
Yes. It should separate direct self-consumption, export, curtailment and battery charging where applicable.
Should structural assessment be included?
The proposal should state clearly whether structural assessment, endorsement and reinforcement are included, excluded or subject to further pricing.
Should maintenance be included in the quotation?
The proposal should state whether monitoring, inspections, cleaning, fault response and reporting are included and for how long.
Can two solar proposals be compared by price per kWp?
Price per kWp can be one reference, but it may not reflect differences in equipment, structural work, electrical scope, warranties, maintenance and exclusions.
Should the proposal guarantee electricity savings?
Savings are normally based on assumptions. The proposal should distinguish projected savings from any specific contractual commitment.
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