8 STAGES OF A SOLAR PROJECT
Solar and battery home projects normally last 5 to 10 weeks, from date of hire to the day the system is up and running. Some solar companies operate faster and more efficiently than others. The same can be said for local building departments and municipalities. Occasionally, the utility will surprise us by operating at a swift pace to approve your Energy Interconnection Application, but most of the time they seem content to move at a snail’s pace. No home or city is the same, but every solar and battery project will proceed through 8 specific stages. Let’s get into it.
1. Electric Bill Audit
This is a deep dive into your utility bill account to review your home’s past energy consumption and what it might require in the future. This is where a good solar consultant comes in handy to ensure your goals and expectations are met. You might find there are a few cost-effective improvements you could make before going solar, which means fewer solar panels and batteries to purchase, and more money kept in your pocket.
Maybe it makes sense to ditch that old single-speed pool pump and replace it with an energy-efficient variable-speed pump. What if you plan to be empty nesters in a couple of years and anticipate a drop in household electricity consumption, or are considering the purchase of an EV that will need to be charged nightly? By the end of this first stage, you should have a firm grasp on exactly how many solar panels and batteries you will need to kick your electric bill to the curb.
2. Choose Your Solar Company
This is your homework stage. Here, you’re vetting contractors through interviews and thumbing through bids from a few different companies. Make sure you get all your questions answered and utilize the suggestions I’ve outlined in the next chapter Frequently Asked Qualifying Questions. Talk to your friends and ask what their solar experience was like. Review what your neighbors are saying about companies on Nextdoor and Yelp, and peruse their Google reviews.
If you want your Solar and Battery Project to get an A+, you must prepare by doing your homework first.
3. Site Survey
You have chosen your solar company and are moving forward. Your newly hired contractor is now tasked with beginning your project and engineering a formal solar design, or Customer Approval Plan, as I call it. This design is a literal blueprint and plan set for your project.
A technician will be dispatched to your home to perform the site survey, which includes an inspection of your main electrical panel to ensure it is compatible with a new solar and storage electric system. The technician should climb atop your roof to assess its condition, measure and mark the roof to indicate where each solar panel will be situated. Ideally, they will also perform a shade analysis to confirm that the solar production estimates illustrated in your initial sales quote will be fulfilled.
Do not be afraid to pause at this stage and ask questions or seek clarification from your contractor about the proposed Customer Approval Plan, such as where exactly each solar panel will be placed on the roof and where your battery or batteries will be installed.
4. Pulling the Permit
Your site survey and design are complete, and you have approved your Customer Approval Plan. It’s time to submit the blueprints and plan set to the local building department, or AHJ (Authorized Housing Jurisdiction). They will review your plans to ensure they are code-compliant and, if approved, will issue a building permit authorizing construction of your project.
5. Installation Day
With the building permit in hand, your project is ready to be installed. This is the moment your project shifts from paperwork and planning to real progress you can see. Panels, batteries, conduit, railings, and all related equipment can normally be installed in a couple days. A third day perhaps if your system is large, say 40 or more panels and three batteries, or if the project requires additional work outside the normal scope, such as extensive roof repairs.
6. Permit Sign-Off
Once your project is installed, the solar company will contact the building department to schedule a final electrical inspection. An inspector will come out to the home to ensure your solar and battery setup is installed to code, safe to operate, and functioning properly. The inspector will then sign off on the permit, approving the installation.
Note that this should not be an appointment between just you and the inspector. Your solar company should send a qualified representative to meet with the inspector in person to help expedite the process and address any corrections or revisions the inspector may require. Once the inspector stamps the permit card “Approved,” you’re moving on to Stage 7.
7. Permission to Operate (PTO)
The final inspection has been completed, and the building department has signed off on your solar project. We’re not quite done yet, though. We still need your utility’s seal of approval. This is known as getting Permission to Operate, or PTO.
The solar company submits the signed-off permit to the utility, notifying them that your solar and battery system is approved and ready to be turned on. The utility reviews your Energy Interconnection Application and countersigns it. You and your solar company will then receive notice stating that “your new solar and storage system is granted permission to operate.” I always find that wording amusing, as if they are bestowing some grand gift of approval upon your home and you should feel especially grateful.
8. Wrap-Up
Your solar and battery storage system is activated. Congratulations! A representative or project manager from the solar company should provide a wrap-up consultation, either by phone or in person. This is your opportunity to bring up any lingering questions about your project.
During the wrap-up, the representative will demonstrate your solar and battery monitoring platform and help you download the Monitoring App to your phone or desktop. You’ll be able to see how much energy your solar panels are producing, how much your home is consuming, how your battery is being used, and how much money you’re saving. As a bonus, many monitoring platforms also display how many pounds of CO₂ emissions your home has offset. It’s a great feeling, going green while saving green.
