Meeting Objective 1. Who are we? 2. Review Commercial Solar Industry 3. Who are the ideal candidates for solar? 4. Key Site Conditions 5. Typical Upfront and On-going Costs
Grasshopper Vision Accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices by creating accessible and affordable products for everyone.
Company History Grasshopper Solar Corporation was founded in 2007 by Azeem M. Qureshi to address the need for efficient deployment of solar energy generation, energy efficiency & related services by creating a vertically integrated platform to deliver end to end solutions. Through the last 10 years the company has grown to become the largest solar provider and asset owner with $250M of solar assets in Canada with a team of 300+ people with projects under development in countries like US and Japan. The company is actively working on expanding it footprint into more global markets. Grasshopper Solar has been awarded multiple national industry awards including Solar Innovator of the Year, Project Finance Innovator of the Year and Solar Developer of the Year for continued industry leadership.
Assets Grasshopper Solar owns and operates large scale and micro generation solar assets worth $250M and is on track to expand its asset base to $1B+ by 2022. Asset Types: Large Scale a. Ground Mounts b. Commercial Rooftops 2017 $80 M 2022 $200 M Micro Scale a. Residential/Agricultural Ground Mounts $250M $1B b. Residential/Agricultural Roof-tops $170 M $800 M Micro Scale Large Scale
My Role at Grasshopper Proud Grasshopper since July, 2017 with a background in mechanical engineering and project management. Globally, I have assisted in the development of over 200 MW of solar assets. In my current role as the Director of Commercial Strategy and Development I focus on: Understanding regulatory policies and rate models Developing strategies for acquisition and development Reviewing business models Reviewing and managing the acquisition of solar assets
Solar Exceeding Expectations
Why solar? In the commercial and industrial space, customers deploy solar powered electricity to: Offset their electricity bill Manage their peak electricity costs Reduce their carbon footprint Produce reliable generation Generate a ROI
Customers Needs Every customers needs vary based on: What type of funding is available to them? How large is their electricity consumption? How much space do they have available for renewable energy? What is their internal hurdle rate?
Business Models Based on the customers needs we can determine the type of model they are most suited for. Power Purchase Agreements Ideal for customers who do not want to make an upfront investment Can generate power on-site or off-site with virtual net-metering Customers can hedge against future electricity prices Power Purchase Agreement Commercial and Industrial Customers Own and Operate Own and Operate Ideal for customers who have access to low cost of capital Want to utilize their excess space for solar generation Prevents customers from signing long term agreements Customers can hedge against future electricity prices
Economic Feasibility
Project Economics By understanding the infrastructure and policy in a specific geography we can determine the true value of solar for C&I customers. Current Infrastructure Policy & Technology Where does your electricity currently come from? Are policies in place to enable grid-tie solar or behind the meter? What are the electricity rates and how quickly are they rising? How much production can we generate from solar energy?
Current Infrastructure & Rates In specific jurisdictions the infrastructure is more suited towards solar generation as the primary sources of electricity can be more costly. The current infrastructure and rates influence the Year 1 cost of power and the annual escalator for our solar array. Source: BC Hydro Source: Fraser Institute
Renewable Energy Policies For an ideal candidate we have to evaluate what renewable energy polices are in place to allow us to install and generate revenue or savings from our solar array. This will determine how we can monetize excess power generation and how we can size our solar array. Net-Metering: allows consumers who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime, instead of when it is generated. Virtual-Net Metering: allows consumers who generate some of their electricity to sell or transfer credits for any excess generation to another electricity consumer virtually. Off-Grid Program: key incentives in place to offset the cost of generating off-grid using fossil fuels.
Technical Feasibility
Technical Feasibility The first step in understanding the technical feasibility of a site is to understand the total area available for the installation and its proximity to the connection point.
Solar Production The production of a solar array highly impacts the economic model of system. The production (kwh/kwp) is dependant on the Azimuth (direction from south), the tilt, the snow losses, and irradiance. The degradation of a system also impacts the long term power reduction of the system. Car-Port System Size 202 kw 76 kw Total Annual Offset Year 1 Design Characteristics Roof-Top 218,000 kwh 85,000 kwh 3 Degree tilt fixed tilt roof system 20 Degree carport system Tier 1 modules with 25 Year warranty
Site Conditions The following table identifies the impact to upfront and on-going costs based on specific site conditions. Roof-Top Ground-Mount Structural Capacity Factor Upfront Cost Impact On-going Cost Impact Structural Upgrades Roof-Life <= 10 years Roof Replacement Cost of Removing Equipment and Re-Installing Roof-Layout Connection Upgrades Zoning & Environmental Conditions Cost of Installation Cost of Installation Permitting Costs Soiling and Vegetation Condition Upfront preparation costs On-going landscaping costs Connection Upgrades Ground Topology Cost of Installation Upfront preparation costs
Upfront & On-Going Costs The following table identifies the up-front and on-going costs of a commercial solar project. Revenue from electricity cost savings or sale of electricity Up-Front Costs On-Going Engineering Procurement (Solar Panels, Racking, Inverter, BOS, etc.) Construction Permitting Costs (Electrical, Civil, Environmental) Utility Connection Costs Legal Fees Financing Fees Land Purchase Cost (if applicable) Operations Cost Maintenance Cost Lease Cost (if applicable) Utility Fee s Loan Payment Net Savings or Profit
Grasshopper Vision Accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices by creating accessible and affordable products for everyone.
Thank You!