Path-Q Solar

What electricity bill details matter most when comparing solar quotes?

Answer

The most important details are total consumption, monthly variation, billing periods, rates, fixed charges, demand or time-based charges where applicable, and how exported energy is credited. Quotes should use the same bill history and clearly state production, self-consumption, export assumptions, and system size.

Key points

  • Provide bills covering a complete and representative usage period.
  • Check kWh use by month, billing dates, rate categories, and any changing prices.
  • Identify fixed charges, demand charges, time-of-use periods, and export or credit rules shown on the bill.
  • Compare assumptions rather than headline savings or system capacity alone.

What it depends on

  • The completeness and representativeness of the bill history
  • The utility rate structure and export treatment
  • Whether the property has demand, time-based, or multiple-meter charges
  • The assumptions used in each proposal

Risks and trade-offs

  • A quote based on incomplete or atypical bills can mis-size the system.
  • Two systems with similar capacity can produce different bill outcomes because of orientation, shading, usage timing, or export treatment.
  • Projected savings may not be comparable if escalation, degradation, financing, or maintenance assumptions differ.

Information you may need

  • Monthly kWh consumption and billing dates
  • Rate schedules, fixed charges, demand charges, and export credits
  • Interval usage data if available
  • Each quote's production, self-consumption, export, and financial assumptions

Your next step

What to do next

Create a side-by-side comparison using the same bill history and ask each provider to identify every rate and usage assumption used.

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