Which sites we look at, and by what standard

What we always check

• Land-use zoning designation and the municipal setback ordinance
• Whether a development activity permit can be obtained
• Conversion requirements for farmland and forest land
• Spare capacity in the local grid, and the connection queue

We advise against · Land that cannot be permitted

What we always check

• Roof structural capacity and remaining service life
• Who carries the waterproofing and leak liability
• Power use pattern and self-consumption rate
• Roof lease model versus owner-invested model

We advise against · Reinforcement that costs more than the project will earn

What we always check

• Traffic flow through the lot and where the columns land
• Clearance height, snow load, and wind load
• Spare capacity in the existing electrical service equipment
• Whether EV charging can be built in

We advise against · A layout that gives up too many parking spaces

What we always check

• Target grade for Zero Energy Building (ZEB) certification, and the energy self-sufficiency rate
• Energy yield for each building surface it covers
• What replacing the cladding saves
• The application window for the building support program

We advise against · Projects already past detailed design

What we always check

• Load pattern and the shape of the peak
• The capacity at which the payback period works
• Fire safety standards and where it can be sited
• Insurance underwriting conditions

We advise against · Cases where it never pays back

What we always check

• Whether metering and communications requirements are met
• Restrictions on overlap with the current offtake contract
• The settlement split each power trading operator offers
• Historical energy yield data

We advise against · Plants that do not meet the requirements