Commercial solar that NOI sizes to what the building actually uses.
Solar makes power on the roof or over the parking and sells it to the building first. NOI reads the tariff and the load, sizes the array to on-site consumption, models the export rules for the state, and coordinates design, permitting, installation and operation with licensed delivery partners.
Solar serves the property first, then the grid.
The order matters for the economics: power the building would otherwise buy at retail is worth more than power exported under most state rules.
On-site use first
Generation offsets the property's own consumption during daylight hours, including common areas, owner-paid meters and, where the structure allows, tenant load.
Storage next
Where a battery is part of the design, surplus midday output charges it for use at the peak. See battery storage.
Export last
What remains goes to the grid under the state's net metering or export rules, which differ by state and utility and are modeled per site.
Sized to consumption, not to the roof.
The load profile
Interval data, or at least twelve months of bills, shows how much the building uses and when. An array larger than the building can use leans on export rules instead.
The roof or parking area
Roof age, structure and remaining life come first. A roof that needs replacing soon is replaced before solar goes on it, or the array moves to a parking canopy.
The electrical service
Panel and service capacity, and the utility's interconnection rules, set how much can connect without upgrades.
One production model, more than one way to fund it.
Projects are delivered owner-funded, financed or third-party funded. Which structure applies, and who pays, owns the equipment and receives the benefit, is set in the project agreement after underwriting.
Owner-funded or financed
The owner holds the asset and any federal credit it qualifies for, subject to the credit rules and the owner's tax position.
Third-party funded
A third party owns the system and sells the power, usually under a power purchase agreement. See the PPA guide.
Federal credit timing
Solar credit eligibility now depends on dated construction and in-service milestones. Read our Section 48E summary and confirm your project's position with your tax adviser.
What NOI checks for commercial solar
- Utility, tariff and the state's export compensation rules
- Twelve months of bills or interval data
- Roof age, structure and warranty, or a parking area for a canopy
- Electrical service capacity and interconnection requirements
- Which meters the owner pays and how tenants are billed
- Ownership structure and site control
Related: Solar carports and parking canopies, Commercial battery storage, Power purchase agreements (PPA), How the assessment and delivery work, Markets we serve.
Commercial solar: articles from the NOI blog
The Commercial ITC in 2026: Section 48E for Solar and Storage, Explained
The investment tax credit is still the largest single incentive in most commercial solar and storage projects. The rules changed in 2025, and solar and storage now run on different clocks.
The 2026 Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for Rental Property Owners: What's Changed
Tax credits are great until you try to actually use them. Here's what the 2026 ITC actually looks like for someone who owns rental property.
Roof Condition, Age, and Solar: When to Install, When to Re-Roof First
The single most expensive solar mistake isn't picking the wrong panel — it's installing on a roof that fails three years later. Here's how to time it.
The 9-Point Solar NOI Underwriting Checklist for Acquisitions
Solar revenue only survives diligence if it's underwritten like any other income line. Here are the nine items we check before we model a dollar.
Common-Area Load: The Simplest Place to Start With Rooftop Solar
Resident billing gets the attention, but common-area load is where most owners should start. It's simpler, faster, and requires no tenant onboarding at all.
What Determines Solar Permitting and Interconnection Timelines
Permitting, utility review and required upgrades determine the schedule. Confirm the approval path for your property before setting an energization date.
Insurance and Liability for Rooftop Solar on Rental Properties
The panels aren't yours (in a PPA). But the roof is. Here's how insurance actually flows.
Commercial solar: common questions
How is a commercial solar system sized?
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To the building's own consumption, read from bills or interval data, then checked against roof or canopy area, electrical service capacity and the utility's interconnection rules. An array larger than the building can use depends more on export rules, which vary by state.
Who pays for the system?
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Projects are delivered owner-funded, financed or third-party funded. Which structure applies, and who pays, owns the equipment and receives the benefit, is set in the project agreement after underwriting.
What happens to power the building does not use?
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It charges a battery if one is installed, then exports to the grid under the state's net metering or export rules. Those rules differ by state and utility, so we model them for each site.
Does NOI install the panels itself?
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NOI evaluates the site, structures the project and coordinates design, permitting, installation and interconnection with licensed delivery partners, then monitors and operates the system as set out in the agreement.
More questions? Read the full FAQ or talk to us.
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