Two documents covering what most solar proposals skip: the property checks, the structure options, and what applies to your state. Browse everything below, then download for free.
Most solar pitches start with your square footage and end with a savings estimate. What they skip is what actually determines whether a project gets built: the utility territory, the roof or surface condition, the financial structure that fits your situation, and the risks no one names until after you've signed.
This brief covers the first-pass checks, the three financial structures available for commercial solar, the places deals most often fall apart, and what a real feasibility review looks at.
Which property categories qualify and why. CA has specific rules around daytime electricity load that differ from the Northeast.
10,000 sq ft rooftop threshold for roof-mounted projects. 25,000 sq ft for parking canopy. Total building footprint and available roof surface are not the same number.
MA, NJ, RI, CA, and NY Metro. Each has its own incentive structure. SMART 3.0, SuSI ADI, REF grants, NEM 3.0, NY-Sun. What applies where.
Solar produces power during daylight hours. Projects work best when the site draws real electricity during those same hours. Manufacturing and retail with refrigeration are strong profiles.
PPA, Site Lease, or Direct Purchase. A for-profit manufacturer with a strong tax position is a different conversation than a nonprofit school protecting its endowment.
Utility interconnection, roof and structural conditions, and counterparty continuity. All three are predictable. All three show up late when developers don't raise them early.
Six property types, five states, 30 combinations. Each section covers the state incentive structure, which financial structure typically fits, and real projects from the Plankton portfolio in that market.
Incentive programs vary significantly by state and by property type. A tax-exempt school in Massachusetts is a different conversation than a manufacturing facility in New Jersey. This document covers both.
No residential work. Projects run from 88 kW community solar installations on nonprofit properties to 1,798 kW hybrid rooftop and canopy systems at Class A office parks.
Industrial resin manufacturer. Direct Purchase structure capturing the 30% federal ITC, MACRS depreciation, and New Jersey SuSI incentive program.
Largest completed Plankton installation. Two structures on one site: a rooftop PPA for behind-the-meter savings and a parking canopy community solar Site Lease. SMART 3.0 supported.
High daytime electricity load from refrigeration and climate control. NY-Sun Megawatt Block Program supported. Generates more than 775,000 kWh per year.
Community solar hosted on church rooftop and parking canopy. Fixed annual lease payments to the congregation. No capital outlay, no operational involvement. SMART 3.0 supported.
PPA structure on a nonprofit senior care facility in New Jersey. Generates 157,000 kWh annually, offsetting a significant portion of the facility's electricity costs.
Customer-owned behind-the-meter system. The ownership group captures the full economic benefit: reduced utility spend, the 30% federal ITC, and MACRS accelerated depreciation.
Download either PDF directly from Google Drive. No form, no gate, no follow-up unless you ask for one.
The first-pass property checks, three financial structures, why quotes change after you say yes, and what a real feasibility review covers. 9 pages.
Download PDFSix property types, five states, 30 combinations. Incentive structures, structure fit, and real Plankton portfolio examples in each market. 24 pages.
Download PDFIncludes a 20-year long-term ROI and ESG model built for your specific portfolio. No sales pitch. A real first look at your property before anyone commits to a full proposal.
We'll review your rooftop size, utility territory, roof age, financial structure fit, and interconnection risk before anyone commits to a full proposal. Delivered in less than a month.
We'll build a property-specific financial model showing what PPA, Site Lease, and Direct Purchase each look like for your asset, with state incentives applied and ITC timing mapped out.
Includes a 20-year long-term ROI and ESG model for your specific property. Plankton's development team will review it personally.
A quick note before you submit: Plankton Energy's development process is built around commercial-scale projects only. Properties with roofs under 10,000 sq ft or parking lots under 25,000 sq ft aren't eligible for our programs, and we won't be able to offer a consultation if that's the case. We want to make sure your time is well spent.
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We are not a good fit at this time. We only work on commercial projects with a rooftop size above 10K sq. ft. or parking lot size above 25K sq. ft.