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Photovoltaic Roofs: What is the ROI?

By Kent Mattison, P.E.

Roofing

OTHER PARTS OF THIS ARTICLEPt. 1: What Are the Benefits of Photovoltaic Roofing?Pt. 2: Photovoltaic Roofs: Questions About Economics, Physical StructurePt. 3: This Page

Finally, managers must answer difficult questions regarding the financial feasibility of such a project:

What are the available incentives, rebates, and credits from federal, state, and local governments and utilities in the area?
What is the potential for an SPPA or other financing options?
What are the projected installation costs for the chosen system?
What are the projected energy cost savings?
What is the projected payback time frame, return on investment, and cash flow?

Performing this type of analysis is critical for managers to properly determine the potential success of a PV system. The final steps are to have a professional design the PV and electrical systems, then to have a qualified contractor perform the installation.

Kent Mattison, P.E., is president and a partner with Benchmark Inc. a roof and pavement consulting firm. He has been with Benchmark since its inception in 1983 and has been involved in the roofing industry since 1981.