Path-Q Solar

Should unusual electricity use from one recent month be included when requesting a solar quote?

Answer

Include it, but clearly label whether it was temporary or likely to recur. A complete billing history lets the installer distinguish an anomaly from a new baseline and prevents a quote from being sized on an unrepresentative month.

Key points

  • Provide all available bills rather than omitting an unusual period.
  • Explain causes such as guests, construction, weather, equipment failure, vacancy, or a new appliance.
  • If the change is permanent, provide evidence or a forecast of the new normal use.
  • Ask for scenarios based on historical use and expected future use when the distinction is uncertain.

What it depends on

  • Cause and duration of the unusual consumption
  • Whether the load will recur
  • Completeness of the billing history
  • Planned changes to the property or equipment

Risks and trade-offs

  • Including a one-time spike without explanation can overstate system size.
  • Excluding a recurring new load can understate future needs.
  • A quote based on incomplete bills may hide assumptions that are difficult to correct later.

Information you may need

  • Complete billing history
  • Explanation and dates for unusual use
  • Expected future occupancy and equipment
  • Installer's proposed consumption baseline

Your next step

What to do next

Give the installer the complete history with the unusual month annotated and request separate designs if future consumption could reasonably differ from the historical baseline.

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SQ01596