Existing Commercial Solar in New York
Answers to what owners ask us most: what you have, what it means for your income, and what you can do next.
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Step 1 of 3 · What you have
What do I actually have?
Most owners don't know much about their system, and that's normal. An address and the utility account are enough to start.
I don't know anything about this system. Can you still look at it?
Yes. That's the normal case. With the address and the utility account, we can find the size, install date and billing plan from public records and the utility.
Send us the address →How do I find out how old it is or who installed it?
Check the label on the inverter, the utility's approval papers or NYSERDA's public list of solar projects. Or just send us the address and we'll look it up.
Is it even working?
Many owners don't know. If your solar credits shrank and nothing else changed, it may not be. The online monitoring can also be down while the system still runs. We buy systems whether they're running or not.
How to tell if it's still performing →Do I own it, or does someone else?
This is the most important early question. With a power purchase agreement (PPA) or lease, another company may own the system and you only host it. If you don't own it, we can't buy it from you, but we may be able to buy it from the owner. Not sure? Contact us and we'll talk it through.
Talk it through with us →How is your New York system paid?
New York pays solar with credits on your electric bill, not certificates. Most existing systems are on one of three plans. For most owners, one tap tells you which one is probably yours.
When did your system first turn on?
The date your utility let it turn on. A close guess is fine.
What's the difference between net metering, Phase One and the Value Stack?
Net metering credits your bill at about what you pay for power. Phase One works the same way, but only for 20 years, and leftover credits are never paid out. The Value Stack puts a dollar credit on your bill for 25 years. It's built from 5 or 6 values, and some of them change every hour.
How do I know which one I'm on?
Your turn-on date is the main clue. Systems running by March 9, 2017 kept net metering. Later systems got Phase One or the Value Stack. Credits shown in dollars on your bill usually mean the Value Stack.
I'm on Long Island. Is it different?
Yes. LIPA, which owns the grid there, makes its own rules, but they usually follow the rest of the state. Most systems connected by early 2018 kept net metering for life. Most later ones are on LIPA's Value Stack for 25 years. Some have a 20-year contract where LIPA buys all the power.
PSEG Long Island: solar ↗My credits go to other accounts. Is that a problem?
No, but tell any buyer. New York calls it remote net metering, or Remote Crediting for the Value Stack. Since November 2020, a Value Stack system can share credits with up to 10 business accounts.
Is NY-Sun still paying me?
Probably not. NY-Sun, the state's solar rebate, paid out when the system was built or in its first few years.
Which systems are too new for you?
Systems that turned on in 2021 or later are under 6 years old. Most of them are on the Value Stack. We can't buy them yet, but we're glad to help you make sense of yours.
The plans at a glance
- Net metering, No end date
- Turned on by March 9, 2017
- Credits worth about what you pay for power.
- Phase One net metering, 20 years
- Turned on after March 9, 2017, smaller account
- Same as net metering, but leftover credits are never paid out.
- Value Stack, 25 years
- Turned on after March 9, 2017, bigger building, remote or community solar
- A dollar credit that moves with the price of power.
- LIPA's own rules, Life, or 25 years
- On Long Island
- Net metering for life if connected by early 2018. Most later systems are on the Value Stack.
- Mostly the Value Stack, 25 years
- Turned on in 2021 or later
- Under 6 years old, so newer than the systems we buy.
| If your system was | It is probably on | How it pays | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turned on by March 9, 2017 | Net metering | Credits worth about what you pay for power. | No end date |
| Turned on after March 9, 2017, smaller account | Phase One net metering | Same as net metering, but leftover credits are never paid out. | 20 years |
| Turned on after March 9, 2017, bigger building, remote or community solar | Value Stack | A dollar credit that moves with the price of power. | 25 years |
| On Long Island | LIPA's own rules | Net metering for life if connected by early 2018. Most later systems are on the Value Stack. | Life, or 25 years |
| Turned on in 2021 or later | Mostly the Value Stack | Under 6 years old, so newer than the systems we buy. | 25 years |
How to check which plan you are on
- Look at your electric bill. Value Stack credits usually show in dollars. Net metering credits usually show in kWh. Bills differ by utility.
- Find your utility approval letter. It shows the day your system turned on. Lost it? Ask your utility for a copy, and ask which solar plan your account is on. At Con Edison, it's called Rider R.
- Check the state's list. If your system got a NY-Sun rebate, it is on NYSERDA's public list with its size and finish date.
- Still stuck? The Department of Public Service lists staff who can help. Or ask us. We look these up all the time.
Step 2 of 3 · What it means
Why did my New York solar credits change?
Value Stack credits follow the price of power, so they go up and down each year. Net metering credits move with your electric rate. A system making less power also earns less.
The Public Service Commission (PSC), the state board over utilities, sets these rules. In 2017 it moved new systems off net metering. Systems already running kept their terms.
When do my net metering or Value Stack terms end?
Net metering from before March 10, 2017 has no end date. Phase One net metering lasts 20 years. The Value Stack lasts 25 years. Both count from the day your system turned on.
What happens when they end?
The system keeps running. It moves to whatever rules are in place then, which will likely pay less. Unused Phase One credits are lost. The first Phase One systems reach 20 years in 2037.
Why did my Value Stack credit drop?
Most of it follows the price of power, which changes year to year. One part, for helping the local grid, is locked for only 10 years. On the first systems, that ends around 2027.
NYSERDA: how the Value Stack works ↗Should I switch from net metering to the Value Stack?
Only after you run the numbers. You can switch, but you can't switch back, and you get the rules from the day you switch. If you might sell, talk to us first.
NYSERDA: questions about switching ↗Do rising electric rates help me?
Yes, if you're on net metering. Your credits are worth about what you pay for power, so they rise with your rates.
Con Edison's rate hike →What happens to my net metering or Value Stack credits if I sell to you?
They stay in place. We keep the system on its current crediting, and you pay us the per-kWh rate set in your power agreement. That rate is lower than what the grid charges you. During our review, we confirm exactly what your system receives today.
Does selling change my terms?
No. Your terms stay with the system, and a sale doesn't restart the clock. Tell your utility about the new owner in writing.
What about my property tax break?
New York's Section 487 can keep solar from raising your property tax for 15 years. Some towns opt out. Ask your assessor, especially before you sell.
Section 487 solar exemption ↗I'm re-roofing in New York City. What should I know?
Replacing a whole roof deck brings in a city rule. The new roof needs solar, a green roof or both. Talk to your architect before the panels come off. Your term keeps running while they're off.
NYC roof rules ↗Step 3 of 3 · Your options
What are my options with an existing New York solar system?
You can keep running it yourself, fix it up, or sell it as-is to a buyer who takes over everything. Here's what owners ask us before they decide.
Are you the right buyer?
Do you buy residential solar?
No. We buy commercial, industrial and institutional systems only: rooftop, ground mount and carport.
Is my system too small or too old?
It needs to be 6 or more years old. On its own, we look for at least 250 kW. That's about a 30,000 sq ft roof, 2 acres of ground mount or 100 carport spaces. There's no upper age limit.
Which systems we buy →I have more than one system. Can you buy them all?
Yes. You can add each one when you get your estimate, up to 7.5 MW in total. You can also pick just the ones you want to sell.
Why would anyone want a broken system?
Because fixing it costs less than building new, and the panels can keep producing for many more years. That's our whole business.
What's it worth, and what do I get?
What will you pay?
You'll get an estimate in about 23 seconds, based on recent market transactions and standard assumptions about systems like yours. A Letter of Intent follows immediately. The final price depends on what due diligence confirms: the system's age and condition, how many years of state incentive income it has left, and the terms of any power contract it has.
Get your estimate →Is the estimate a firm offer?
No. The price can change after our site visit and our review of the papers. Nothing is final until you sign our written offer.
Do I have to pay to remove it?
No. You avoid removal and cleanup costs completely. That's one of the main reasons owners sell.
What if the roof needs replacing?
This comes up a lot. We work out with you who pays for taking the panels off and putting them back, and we do the work.
Are there taxes when I sell?
Talk to your accountant about your own tax picture. We only buy systems after the 5-year federal tax credit (ITC) recapture window has closed, so selling to us won't trigger a recapture of the credit you or a prior owner claimed.
How does it work?
How long does it take?
You get an estimate in seconds and a Letter of Intent immediately. Due diligence moves at your pace: the faster you send us documents and site access, the faster it goes. Closing follows shortly after.
How selling works →My paperwork is a mess. Is that a problem?
No. Sorting it out is part of what we do. Gather what you can: utility bills, any contracts, SREC statements and the installer's name.
Documents that help →Does my bank, landlord or tenant need to sign off?
Often, yes. Loans, liens and lease approvals come up during our review, and we help you work through them.
Do you need to come on site?
Yes. We only buy in the Northeast, within driving distance, so we come and see the system ourselves.
What happens to my maintenance and monitoring contracts?
We take over the contracts that come with the system, including maintenance. If the company is doing good work at a fair price, we usually keep them on.
Why should I trust you?
Our founder has built and run more than 200 solar projects across the Northeast over 15 years.
Meet the team →What happens after I sell?
If the panels stay on my roof, am I still involved?
Only as the host, and on better terms than you have now. We'll put a roof lease and power agreement in place, and you'll pay a fixed per-kWh rate, agreed in that contract, that's lower than what the grid charges you. With utility rates rising, those savings grow over time. We run and maintain the system and pay for it, keeping it safe and secure. You don't manage anything.
Who do I call if something leaks or breaks?
Us. We carry the insurance and the liability.
What if I sell the building later?
We stay on the roof under the lease. That usually makes the sale easier, because a buyer who doesn't want to own solar doesn't have to.
Selling a building with solar on it →We're here to help.
Send us what you know about your system, even if it's just the address. We'll help you work out where you stand, whether or not you sell.
More from the solar guide
Other states we buy in
- New Jersey →Legacy SRECs, TRECs or SREC-IIs, and when each one ends
- Massachusetts →SREC-I, SREC-II or SMART, and what happens when they end
- Maryland →Falling SREC values, the 2 MW limit and the 2027 net metering change
- Washington, DC →SRECs with no end date, and what can cost you certification
- Vermont →Standard Offer contracts or net metering, and when the terms change
- Pennsylvania →Low SREC prices, supplier switching and the Act 44 decommissioning law
Start at the solar guide for the questions every owner has, or see the documents that help when you sell.
What is your system worth?
Get a price range in about 23 seconds, free and with no obligation. A final price depends on the system's condition, contracts and records.
Get my 23-second estimate →Rather talk first? Contact us.