Community Solar Business Case Tool

The Community Solar Business Case Tool provides a flexible financial model that projects the costs and benefits to the system developer and subscriber of a single community solar project. Download the template spreadsheet, or download an Illinois specific tool.

How-To

The Community Solar Business Case Tool has been developed using the panel purchase or panel lease price as a basis for project costs. A basic “breakeven” price for panel purchase or monthly panel lease value is given based on the price of electricity over the course of the project.

1. Enter system parameters.
2. Enter panel purchase or monthly panel lease price at or better than the breakeven price.
3. Enter city or town name to populate generation rates.
4. Modify inputs based on project and system design and local incentives.
5. Click the “Calculate” button.
6. Review the Dashboard outputs to analyze the model.
7. Adjust panel purchase or monthly panel lease price based on key metrics, balancing subscriber and developer costs and benefits.